Out of Japan, comes the ensemble known as Shikandaza. Led by Foozan Usui, one of the grand masters of Shakuhachi a traditional Japanese wind instrument, the group is a small orchestral unit consisting of strings, flute, and percussion. Although rhythm has never been an important component of the musical heritage of Japan, on their new release, Shikandaza blends the sounds of the Far East with the style & rhythm of The West. The result is a wonderfully new & appealing musical amalgam and one, which might well be described as Japanese Jazz. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.