Biography
Kyle Abbott has dedicated over 15 years to playing and building shamisen. He is the author of the world’s first authoritative shamisen building/playing manual, ‘Shamisen of Japan’, and is the founder of Bachido.
Bachido is the world’s first international shamisen community. Featuring hundreds of hours of educational resources, Kyle has spearheaded a global push to make shamisen instruction accessible for everyone. With over 2600 members worldwide, beginners and professional players unite together to connect, learn and inspire each other.
Kyle has led international instructional camps (Japan, Berlin and California), has competed in Japan’s National Tsugaru Shamisen tournaments, and has collaborated with critically acclaimed artists such as Kenny Endo, John Neptune, Kevin Kmetz, Masahiro Nitta, Reigen Fujii and more.
In 2015, Kyle assisted in the animated movie ‘Kubo and the Two Strings’. The animators of the film wanted to see how shamisen was played live, so the executive producers invited Kyle to their studio, where they filmed him play shamisen for the animators to record and observe.
In 2015, Kyle founded ShamiCamp, the world’s first international shamisen workshop series which brings together top shamisen instructors to share their skills and shamisen enthusiasts from around the world to build skills and grow the connection of the international shamisen community. Since then, he has led six camps in Tokyo, Sapporo, Berlin and California. For the past four years, Kyle also leads a weekly group shamisen class in San Jose Japantown.
Kyle also recorded and produced two ‘Monsters of Shamisen’ albums (‘Stellar’ and ‘Resonance’), and also recorded and produced two solo albums, The Cuckoo and Frosty: A Retrospective Christmas (http://bachido.com/store/albums). As well as shamisen, Kyle also plays shakuhachi, mandolin, banjo, guitar, bass, and other stringed instruments. He practices Tuvan throat singing styles as well.
Notable Collaborations (Alphabetically)
Aki Takahashi (Ten Ten), Anju Madoka, Awakko Ren, Ensohza, John Kaizan Neptune, Junko Fujimoto, Karl Young, Kevin Kmetz, Kenny Endo, Kiju Kitamura, Masahiro Nitta, Mike Penny, Reigen Fujii, Rick Walker, Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto, Takarabune, Takohachi, Yutaka Oyama, Yuzu Natsumi
Notable Events
ShamiCamp: International Shamisen Workshop Series
Tokyo (2015), California (2016), Berlin (2016), Tokyo (2017), Sapporo (2019), Berlin (2019)
Wa Festa in Tokyo w/ Kiju Kitamura. Hosted by Takarabune
JapanFest Atlanta w/ Mike Penny (2016, 2017, 2018)
Sapporo Music Festival in Hokkaido w/ Monsters of Shamisen (2015)
Hirosaki National Tsugaru Shamisen Tournament (2010, 2013)
Hirosaki World Tsugaru Shamisen Tournament (2014)
Kanagi National Tsugaru Shamisen Tournament (2010)
Lunar New Year Celebration in Oahu w/ Kenny Endo and Anju Madoka
Shamisen Workshop at Regional Taiko Gathering (2018)
Tataki: Taiko & Shamisen Workshop (2018)
Yerba Buena Garden Festival (2014, 2017, 2018)
Japanese Heritage Night at AT&T Park (2015)
Reference work for ‘Kubo and the Two Strings’ (2015)
Mendocino Folk Festival (2013)
Kon Jo – Produced by Ronin Taiko (2014)
Icharibe Chodé – Produced by Ronin Taiko (2015)
San Francisco Cherry Blossom Festival
J-Pop Summit (2015, 2016, 2017)
Japan Expo (2014)