Tsugaru-ben Full Album 'Wanowei' to be Released on June 14th – Project to Reconstruct Aomori Dialect as 'Music' Commences
Amefurashi Quartet will release their full album "Wanowei" on June 14, 2026, which reinterprets the Aomori dialect, Tsugaru-ben, as musical sound. This project aims to express local culture through a blend of jazz and pop, focusing on the intonation and rhythm of the dialect itself.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 26, 2026 at 05:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 25, 2026 at 20:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 25, 2026 at 22:19 (1h 47m after Collected)
Treating the Tsugaru-ben language as "sound," the Amefurashi Quartet has produced a full album spanning jazz and pop genres.
The Amefurashi Quartet will release their Tsugaru-ben full album "Wanowei" on June 14, 2026, which is themed around Aomori, the hometown of vocalist Takamichi Kasai and bassist Takashi Nozuka.
This work is centered on "Tsugaru-ben," the dialect of Aomori, and reconstructs it as modern music, crossing jazz as its base with pop and emotional elements.
The approach taken is to treat not only the meaning of the words but also their intonation, rhythm, and resonance as musical elements, making the dialect function as "sound" rather than "lyrics."
The unique intonation and cadence characteristic of Tsugaru-ben are intimately linked with melody and rhythm, creating musical expressions that differ from traditional Japanese songs. In this album, we have attempted to maximize these characteristics, proposing a new relationship between language and music.
The album includes songs developed through live performances as well as those incorporating electronic programming, spanning jazz improvisation and modern musical techniques.
In conjunction with this release, activities are progressing within Aomori Prefecture:
* Scheduled interview feature in Too Nippo
* Live appearance on Aomori Asahi Broadcasting (June 13th)
* Appearance on RAB Aomori Broadcasting's "1550 News Radar With" under consideration
* Performance at the "Hometown Music Life 2026" event held in Aomori City
Among others, the project is expanding as a regional collaboration. The Amefurashi Quartet aims to convey Aomori's language and culture through music, striving to be rooted in the region while sublimating it into new forms of expression.
The Amefurashi Quartet will release their Tsugaru-ben full album "Wanowei" on June 14, 2026, which is themed around Aomori, the hometown of vocalist Takamichi Kasai and bassist Takashi Nozuka.
This work is centered on "Tsugaru-ben," the dialect of Aomori, and reconstructs it as modern music, crossing jazz as its base with pop and emotional elements.
The approach taken is to treat not only the meaning of the words but also their intonation, rhythm, and resonance as musical elements, making the dialect function as "sound" rather than "lyrics."
The unique intonation and cadence characteristic of Tsugaru-ben are intimately linked with melody and rhythm, creating musical expressions that differ from traditional Japanese songs. In this album, we have attempted to maximize these characteristics, proposing a new relationship between language and music.
The album includes songs developed through live performances as well as those incorporating electronic programming, spanning jazz improvisation and modern musical techniques.
In conjunction with this release, activities are progressing within Aomori Prefecture:
* Scheduled interview feature in Too Nippo
* Live appearance on Aomori Asahi Broadcasting (June 13th)
* Appearance on RAB Aomori Broadcasting's "1550 News Radar With" under consideration
* Performance at the "Hometown Music Life 2026" event held in Aomori City
Among others, the project is expanding as a regional collaboration. The Amefurashi Quartet aims to convey Aomori's language and culture through music, striving to be rooted in the region while sublimating it into new forms of expression.