Tsugaru Jongara Bushi - Drum & Tsugaru Jamisen = 軽じょんがら節　ドラム＆津軽三味線

This 2016 release from Clinck Records serves as a definitive reissue of a seminal 1970s experiment in Japanese musical fusion. The original recording brought together the legendary Tsugaru shamisen master Kida Rinshōei with jazz drummer Akira Ishikawa and his ensemble, Count Buffaloes. Emerging during a period of bold exploration in Japanese jazz and traditional folk, the project sought to bridge the percussive, improvisational nature of Tsugaru Jongara Bushi with the rhythmic intensity of western-style jazz and funk drumming.

The collaboration remains highly regarded for its technical prowess and stylistic synergy. Kida Rinshōei, a renowned figure in the preservation and development of the Tsugaru style, provided the soulful, complex melodic structure, while Ishikawa—a prolific session musician known for his work in various fusion projects—applied a driving, heavy-hitting beat that gave the traditional folk instrument a contemporary edge. The 2016 reissue was curated to preserve this cross-genre landmark, ensuring that the unique synthesis of traditional Japanese instrumentation and modern rhythmic structures remains accessible to scholars and fans of experimental music.