Shakuhachi master Yoshikazu Iwamoto studied the traditional Japanese bamboo flute with masters Baisen Onishi and Katsuya Yokoyama, subsequently earning national notoriety through his regular concert appearances as well as his performances on television and radio. As his fame spread internationally, in 1975 he mounted a series of performances in Denmark before spending a year as artist-in-residence at Connecticut's Wesleyan University; during the early '80s, Iwamoto additionally toured everywhere from Brazil to West Germany to Ireland. From 1982 onward, he served as artist-in-residence at Britain's Dartington College of Arts, receiving regular exposure on the BBC in the years to follow; in 1985, Iwamoto toured Australia as a soloist with the Shizue Sasagawa symphonic orchestra, and two years later gave over two dozen performances with the English National Opera. Over time he began experimenting with combinations of shakuhachi and tapes in addition to his repertoire of traditional and early 20th century Japanese music; Iwamoto also formed the trio Such with pianist John Tilbury and percussionist Eddie Prévost, issuing the Morton Feldman-influenced The Issue at Hand. Other recordings include The Spirit of Wind, Japan--Art of the Shakuhachi (a collection of duets with Katsuya Yokoyama) and The Spirit of Dusk. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
