The Shamisen Sessions, Vol. 2 Yumiko Tanaka live shamisen accompaniment for Crossroads (Jujiro)

The Shamisen Sessions, Vol. 2
Yumiko Tanaka live shamisen accompaniment for Crossroads (Jujiro)
Saturday, November 15, 7:30 PM
nternationally active experimental shamisen musician Yumiko Tanaka provides a thrilling improvisational soundscape to the silent film Crossroads (Jujiro, 1928). This audacious film by Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or winner Teinosuke Kinugasa (1896-1982) depicts the love between a poor brother and sister, and features hallucinatory imagery and boundary-pushing German Expressionist-inspired set design. This program is part of Japan Society’s 2014 Monthly Film Series, The Dark Side of the Sun: John Zorn on Japanese Cinema, curated by musical maverick and film and Japanese culture aficionado John Zorn. For this event, Tanaka will be joined by guest percussionist Satoshi Takeishi. Followed by a reception.

Crossroads (Jujiro): 1928, 87 min., 35 mm, b&w, silent, with English and German intertitles. Directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa. With Junosuke Bando, Akiko Chihaya, Yukiko Ogawa, Ippei Sohma, Kazuo Hasegawa.