SANTA MONICA, CA. (D1 Driver Search announcement) -
Music phenomena, the Yoshida Brothers will bring their unique live show to Fontana's California
Speedway as a part of the D1 Driver Search activities on August 14th.
The performance will take place in conjunction with a live concert in
Santa Monica, CA the previous day. Other promotional activities will also be taking place as excitement builds for the release of the brothers' second U.S. CD release, Yoshida Brothers II, on Domo Records.
The D1 driver search event is a pre qualifying round for all hopeful D1 drivers. Qualified drivers will be picked tocompete in the December 11th USA Championship for a chance to battle against the Japanese drivers in the first ever December 19th USA vs. JPN Event.
The event will be a good chance to see what drifting is about and what kind of talent we have here in the USA. Eighty drivers have registered and are coming from all over, from Florida to Canada! Competition will be tough. Sponsors and booths will be set up for racers and spectators to check out. Also there will be pit areas for each of the teams.
Special guests from Japan will be holding a drifting pro demo run and the top USA experienced drivers will be taught by Japanese pro drivers in a first ever Driver Clinic to learn the art of tandem drifting. A comical dunk tank were the Official D1 Judges, drivers and models will be subjected to a dunking.
Spectators will be able to roam the spectator and booth area. Media in addition will have access to enter the pit areas and the paddock area. We expect this to be a good event to see what drifting is about at a grassroots level and to get good coverage on the future stars of D1! This event will be filmed by world renowned JDM Option for a future volume of the English Version of the JDM Option series.
YOSHIDA BROTHERS IN 2004 THE NEW JAPANESE INVASION BEGINS
They're revered as musical royalty.
They play to sold-out crowds.
They're treated like celebrities.
Their "axes" are old school.
Their music is new school.
They are what's new in music.
While the British Invasion was all about the 60's and the Latin Invasion was all about the 90's, the new Japanese Invasion is all about 2 talented young men and Japan's new music craze in 2004. Enter the Yoshida Brothers.
What's new in music? These guys are BRAND new. No doubt about it. At twenty-something years old, the Yoshida Brothers (Domo Records) bring their centuries old traditional based sound to the world, packaged in a uniquely 21st century manner. With a nod to the past and their eyes squarely focused on the future, these Yoshida dudes are something different.
Sure they enjoy cars and girls. They're in their twenties. But in the hands of these wizards, the brothers' "axe" of choice Tsugaru-shamisen (pronounced Tsoogaroo shameesen) makes musical magic. Ryoichiro and Kenichi drive exotic sports cars and buy stuff at Dolce & Gabbana. Since they debuted this old school meets New York hip music in 1999 (a debut sold 100,000 plus copies in Japan), in 2004, the Yoshida Bros. are back at it in America. They'll tour the country from coast to coast.
Pioneering new improvisational techniques on the instrument, the Yoshidas have elevated the three string Tsugaru-shamisen to Stratocaster status in Japan. Next up, the USA.
While the new album has roots that date back to the 16th century origins of the instrument, the melodies and rhythms lend themselves quite quickly to western ears. And don't let the traditional garb they wear fool you. While the Yoshida's bow to and acknowledge the deep history of the instrument, their passion and mission statement is to take these centuries-old based jamz to the masses. And they're doing it.
With an influence so great, that as a result of their popularity, Japanese kids now must study ancient instruments in music classes, the Yoshida Brothers have returned to charm American audiences. Via Grammy in the Schools participation, a 90 minute NHK Network Documentary and numerous network and cable television appearances, their path is clear. The New Japanese Invasion BeginsÖ Yoshida Brothers' style.
TOUR DATES
Sep. 28 (Tue.) 3:30-5:50 - UC Berkeley San Francisco California 300 Demonstration/Workshop
Sep. 30 (Thurs.) 5:45pm - Virgin Megastore San Francisco California In-store Performances
Oct. 01 (Fri.) 7:30pm - Norton Simon Museum Pasadena California 290 Concert
Oct. 03 (Sun.) 4:00pm - Borders Santa Monica California In-store Performances
Oct. 04 (Mon.) - Night Cinespace (Release Party) Hollywood California Release Party
Oct. 07 (Thurs.) 12:30pm - Borders State Street Chicago Illinois In-store Performances
Oct. 09 (Sat.) - TBD Weslayan University Boston Massachusetts Concert
Oct. 09 (Sat.) 3:00pm - Virgin Megastore Boston Massachusetts In-store Performances
Oct. 15 (Fri.) - Lunchitime Tower Records Washington DC In-store Performances
Oct. 16 (Sat.) 1:00pm - Tower Records Philadelphia Pennsylvania In-Store Performances
Oct. 20 (Wed.) - NYC performance New York, New York Demonstration/Workshop
Oct. 21 (Thurs.) 7:00pm - Borders Columbus Circle New York New York In-Store Performances
Oct. 23 (Sat.) - Leonard Nimoy Theater New York, New York 180 Concert
