From Osaka came the 'musical anarchist' Tadamaru Sakuragawa (桜川 唯丸, Sakuragawa Tadamaru), who sang in a style called Goshu ondo. With the backing of the now disbanded Spiritual Unity, Tadamaru broke out of the festival circuit with his only album, Ullambana, released in 1991. Ullambana is a Sanskrit word that refers to a Buddhism sutra, and is the origin of the Japanese word Urabonne whose shortened form Bon or Obon is now widely used throughout Japan. Tadamaru's music is characterized as a radical new workout of summer festival music from Kansai area of Japan.

Sakuragawa Tadamaru
Born
Tadao Hirata

(1938-01-02)2 January 1938
OccupationSinger
Years active1947-
Website初代桜川唯丸思い出ページ(Japanese)

The song Yui Maru Bushi from the album can be found here:

Tadamaru retired in 1995 and passed his name to one of his pupils who now sings as Tadamaru Sakuragawa II (二代目 桜川唯丸).

Music of Japan

Discography

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References

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  • World Music Volume 2 Latin and North America Caribbean India Asia and: Latin and North America,...by Simon Broughton, Mark Ellingham