Dear Friends,
Hope all is well with you.
I am writing at this time to let you know that I've recently had a
significant breakthrough making jinashikan. These are natural bore
chokan or long shakuhachi ranging in size from 2.2' to 2.8' made
without a precision cast interior, hence "ji nashi" or no ji which is
the filler used to fabricate the inside. These new instruments are
made completely of bamboo and have a rustic, but rich, mellow tone
color. I have, however, meticulously worked out resonances for all of
the notes, so they have a strong full sound and can take all the air
one can give. Jinashikan are quite difficult to produce and crafted
in Japan by only a few makers. They are made from uncut pieces of
madak=E9 and tuned to the bamboo itself rather than western standards
of pitch. As a result, jinashikan are solo instruments that some feel
more closely reflect the mood and spirit of shakuhachi honkyoku
("original" zen music).
I am very excited about this new direction in which my flute making
is moving and am presently focusing on perfecting the design of these
instruments. I hope soon to expand the range of available sizes to
include 2.0' and 2.1' as well as 2.9' and 3.0'. I've had the
opportunity to show my jinashikan to a number of well-known
shakuhachi teachers and players, all of whom were very enthusiastic
about the way they performed.
After 32 years, of making shakuhachi, I feel as if my contract is
being renewed. Thanks so much for your support and encouragement over
the years. It is greatly appreciated.
If you would like to learn more about jinashikan, please go to
http://www.shakuhachi.com/Q-Models-Jinashi.html
=46or a listing of jinashi shakuhachi in stock, go to
http://www.shakuhachi.com/TOC-JinashiInStock.html
Please get back to me if you have any questions.
All the best,
Monty
PS If you would prefer not to receive these occasional updates,
please let me know and I will remove your name from my list.
--Monty H. Levenson Tai Hei Shakuhachi Flutes P.O. Box 294 Willits, CA 95490 Tel.:707-459-3402 =46AX: 707-459-3434 e-mail: monty@shakuhachi.com Web Site: http://www.shakuhachi.com ____________________________________________________
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