Brian Ritchie is the bass guitarist for the alternative rock band Violent Femmes.
In addition to his bass playing, Ritchie is proficient at the shakuhachi, a Japanese bamboo flute. He acquired a Jun Shihan in March 2003 from James Nyoraku Schlefer, and his professional name is Tairaku.
Since 1998, he has collaborated with American shakuhachi maker Ken LaCosse developing a wide bore style of shakuhachi called Taimu.
In 2007 Ritchie produced and toured with the Italian punk/folk band The Zen Circu...
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