Musicbizcast With Kelly Castor

Hanz Araki is a sixth-generation Japanese grandmaster flute player and accomplished Celtic musician. This unlikely fusion of sounds and cultures gives proof to the adage that the path of a musician is often unpredictable.   Hanz calls Seattle, Washington home, and has amassed an impressive body of award-winning Celtic music albums over the last 25 years, including a series of seasonally-themed albums released in 2012 with fiddle player and vocalist Kathryn Claire.   Festival appearances include the Austin Celtic Festival, the Maine Celtic Celebration, the Missoula Celtic Festival, KVMR Grass Valley Celtic Festival, Milwaukee Irish Festival, Bumbershoot, Celtic Connections, and over 20 years of performances at the Northwest Folklife Festival. Hanz has also been invited to perform with the Seattle Symphony, at the Gates Estate, and for the Japanese Consul General.