[Shaku] Masa Yoshizawa, 1950 - 2007

Masakazu Yoshizawa died on October 24th, after a year long battle with
stomach cancer.

Masa was a musician known for his wide range of interests and talents,
playing Western woodwinds, the shakuhachi and other Japanese flutes, the
tsutsumi through taiko drums, and a variety of keyboards and synthesizers.

Masa performed worldwide with musicians, orchestras, symphonies, and
his own group, Kokin Gumi. His most recent work included: performing
shakuhachi solos on the soundtrack of and playing the shamisen in the
film, Memoirs of a Geisha; playing with YoYo Ma, Itzak Perlman, and
under the direction of John Williams at the 2006 Tanglewood music
festival; being the featured performer at the Kennedy Center last fall;
and taking Kokin Gumi to the new concert hall in his home prefecture of
Furakawa in Japan in May.

When he died he was one piece short of finishing the pieces planned for
a CD being produced in his honor by Osamu Kitajima. That CD, entitled
Shaku Gen (where gen means, genisis, root or beginning) will be released
next year.

Masa is survived by his daughter, grandaughter, and son.

A memorial service will be held on November 11th at 1:00 pm in the Garden
Room at JACCC in Little Tokyo (Los Angeles). Please RSVP to Gavin Kelley
at JACCC at (213) 628-2725 ext 133 or email at kelley@jaccc.org

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Received on Thu Nov 1 12:38 PDT 2007