Okinawan World Music Artist

ARAGAKI Mutsumi　(vocal,sanshin,spoken word)

Official site http://www.aragakimutsumi.com/

Face Book https://www.facebook.com/aragakimutsumi

Born in Okinawa, raised in Nagoya. Graduated from Osaka University of Foreign Studies, majoring in the African studies and Swahili. While in Osaka, she joined Kichieikai, the Okinawan traditional music school and association established by the classical music legend, Mr. Matayoshi Kasyou in 1931, and started studying both Nomura classical music※ and YARA folk music.

After finishing the college, she moved to Okinawa, her roots land, to continue her studies. She has worked as a artisan of Sanshin,the three strings Okinawan traditional musical instrument, a sanshin teacher, a vocal trainer, and been performing as a sanshin artist and a vocalist for about 10 years. She has released CDs as the leader of an Okinawan folk music group "GARAMAN MIYARABI". Now as a solo artist, she is a songwriter, an arranger and a live musician who performs the one & only ,wild & sophisticated Okinawan World Music by integrating the great Okinawan traditional style with the contemporary sound which she so much adores. She loves Gospel, Blues, R&B, Soul, Jazz, Funk, Hip Hop, electronic music and the other ethnic music around the world especally African music.

She was taught by Mr. YARA Tsuneo (vocal & sanshin), the head of Kichieikai who is the last pupil of the worldwide famous maestro Mr. FUKUHARA Chouki, and Mr. NISHIME Haruo as well as Ms.FUKUHARA Kyouko. In classical Ryukyu dance (Ryukyu-buyou) she was trained by Ms. NAKACHI Chieko, the head of Kyobu-Kai, who is the last pupil of Ms. FUKUHARA Kyouko. In addition, she was also trained by one of the greatest Jazz singers in Japan, Ms. YOSEYAMA Sumiko.

Appearances & Events

・Judge at the 46th “Shinsyun Minyou Kouhaku Uta Gassen” (RBC-TV)

・Guest speaker and performer at “Minyou no Hanataba” and “Homel de Konnichiwa” (ROK-Radio)

・Guest speaker and performer at “Uchina Biken” (FM Taman)

・In-store live at Ginza Washita Shop, the Okinawa prefecture organize shop.

・Live performance at Okinawa Fair (Kintetsu Department Store, Osaka),held by Okinawa pref.

・Appearance on the cover of “Okinawa Graph” (an international magazine)

・TV interview ”L no Fuukei” (TBS)

・TV interview “Furusato Kikou” (Tokai TV)

・Newspaper interview ”Sanshin no Hi” (Okinawa Times)

・Newspaper interview “LEQUIO” (Ryukyu Shimpo)

・Featured interview on sanshin in the special10th anniversary edition of Uruma Magazine

・Contributed article in “Seidoku Udoku” (Ryukyu Shimpo) link

・Live performance on "Naha Jazz" Aragaki Mutsumi feat. Don Kubota

・Live performance on "Haisai Ichi" Aragaki Mutsumi Project