Yo Zushi

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Yo Zushi


Img_capt =
Birth_name = Yo Zushi
Born = 09/03/1981, Hiroshima, Japan
Died =
Origin = London, England
Instrument = Guitar
Vocals
Genre = Freak folk
Alternative rock
Country
Occupation = Singer-songwriter
Years_active = 2004 – present
Label = Pointy Records
Notable_instruments =
URL = [http://www.yozushi.net/ www.yozushi.net]

Yo Zushi is a Japanese singer-songwriter, who rose to prominence in the UK freak folk scene with two albums released on London's Pointy Records. [cite web|url= http://pointyrecords.co.uk/bands.php?BandID=6&story=61| title = Pointy Records website|accessdate=2008-04-12] He is also a book reviewer for the "New Statesman" magazine. [cite web|url= http://www.newstatesman.com/writers/yo_zushi| title = "New Statesman" writers page|accessdate=2008-04-12]

Career

In 2004 Zushi was the winner (in the music category) of the Re:Creation Prize [cite web|url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/main.jhtml?&xml=/education/2004/03/20/tejbyt20.xml&page=1#2| title = "Daily Telegraph" article, "Off the Campus and Into the Limelight", 03/20/2004|accessdate=2008-04-12] , run by Topshop and style magazine "Dazed & Confused". This was followed by a short period in a folk rock band, Great Days of Sail, with gig support slots in the company of nu-folk icons Joanna Newsom [cite web|url= http://www.soundsxp.com/1326.shtml| title = "Sounds XP" music review website|accessdate=2008-04-12] , The Magic Numbers, Willy Mason [cite web|url= http://www.aboutlastnight.org.uk/news_archive.htm| title = "About Last Night" listings archive|accessdate=2008-04-12] , Micah P. Hinson and anti-folk founder Lach. The band dissolved after one self-titled EP.

In 2005 Zushi was signed to Pointy Records to release "Songs From a Dazzling Drift". [cite web|url= http://www.pointyrecords.co.uk/shop.php?ReleaseID=32| title = Pointy Records album page|accessdate=2008-04-12] A collection of country-infused pop songs drawn from rough home recordings, it was quickly picked up by the British music press as a minor classic. "Q" magazine gave it a four-star review (including it in the "Q Recommends" category), and enthused that "this could be the start of something major" [cite web|url= http://www.melodycat.de/?m=20060322&paged=2
title = Melody Cat European music promotions website|accessdate=2008-04-12] . "Dazed & Confused" called it a "masterclass in storytelling" [cite web|url= http://www.melodycat.de/?m=20060322&paged=2
title = Melody Cat European music promotions website|accessdate=2008-04-12] . An intermittent series of live appearances followed, supporting the likes of Scritti Politti and Patrick Wolf, as well as performing on the main town hall stage at the Oxford Folk Festival [cite web|url= http://www.oxfordfolkfestival.com/2006/artists/artists.html| title = "Oxford Folk Festival" artist page|accessdate=2008-04-12] with Bellowhead and Rachel Unthank and the Winterset.

After publishing a short story in "Dazed & Confused" and completing a Modern Culture MA at University College, London, [cite web|url= http://www.pimatrix.co.uk/index.php/weblog/more/the_you_issue_yo_zushi/
title = "Pi Magazine" interview on UCL website|accessdate=2008-04-12] Yo Zushi released his second album, "Notes for Holy Larceny" [cite web|url= http://pointyrecords.co.uk/shop.php?ReleaseID=38
title = Pointy Records album page|accessdate=2008-04-12] in 2007. It was produced by Greg Box and Daniel Lea of By the Fireside and features jazz musician Ana Silvera on piano. The album has been favorably compared with the music of Hank Williams, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Tom Waits [cite web|url= http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/yo-zushi/notes-for-holy-larceny.htm| title = "Stylus Magazine" album review|accessdate=2008-04-12] .

References

External links

* [http://www.yozushi.net Yo Zushi Official Website]
* [http://www.pointyrecords.co.uk Pointy Records Website]
* [http://www.newstatesman.com/writers/yo_zushi "New Statesman" writers page]
* [http://www.myspace.com/yozushi Myspace Page]