Riley Lee

Riley Lee began playing the shakuhachi in Japan in 1971 and received his shakuhachi name, Kōho, in 1975. He studied with three masters of the 20th century, Hoshida Ichizan II, Sakai Chikuhō II and Yokoyama Katsuya, and in 1980 became the first non-Japanese grand master (dai shihan) of the instrument. In the 1970s he was also the first non-Japanese professional taiko player, as a founding member of the group now called Kodo.

Born in Texas and raised in Hawai'i, he is based in Sydney. He founded the Australian Shakuhachi Society, directed the 2008 World Shakuhachi Festival in Sydney, holds a PhD in ethnomusicology from the University of Sydney and has taught at Princeton University. He has released more than 70 albums since 1980.

On Kotone he shares honkyoku, the solo repertoire of the Fuke Zen monks: pieces played as a breathing meditation rather than for an audience.