Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura (“Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees”) is one of the best-known plays in the Kabuki repertoire. Three of the pieces in Kenji Oh’s little suite for guitar, commissioned by Giacomo Fiore, are portraits of characters in the play: the protagonist Yoshitsune's mistress Shizuka, his wife Kyō no Kimi and his loyal retainer Benkei. These are bracketed by an overture and curtain music.

The guitar is retuned and prepared with a rubber band, paper clips and a strip of paper to produce sawari, a buzzing timbre characteristic of traditional Japanese stringed instruments. The performer also whistles in two of the movements, evoking the sound of the nohkan (bamboo flute).

Released December 1, 2017