Sanso Hatada makes his way through the crowd while performing a Japanese song entitled, 'Shika-no-toune' on his bamboo flute. - Michael Sloley /Freelance Photographer THE QUARTET is completed by Sanso Hatada (flute), and Kanoko Mitsunari and Kazuko Fukuda on the harps. Ping, ping, ping; every pluck of the harp's strings pierced the silence and were complemented by the hauntingly smooth ripples of the flute.
The instruments, the bamboo flute (shakuhachi) and Japanese harp (koto) are ancient especially the latter which historians trace to the 5th century B.C. These traditional instruments brought the past to the present as Japanese classics.
True professionals, the group wanted to give the largely Jamaican audience a taste of their own music. No, they did not perform anything dancehall related.
LOCAL RENDITIONS
Popular folklorist Dr. Olive Lewin had worked with the group for a couple of hours to teach them local renditions. Judging by the collective, hushed gasp of surprise, you knew the ears recognised timeless folk classics "Lily of the valley", "Tunnel No. 9" and "Mango Time".
Before bidding 'sayonara', Urabe, through an interpreter, explained that the company is on a tour of Central America and the Caribbean, Jamaica being the first stop. He said the receptive audience made them confident about the rest of the tour.
Apparently, the people of the West Indies don't mind music from the East.
