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SUMMARY:Minyo Crusaders w/ DJ Bongohead
DTSTART:20260926T230000Z
DTEND:20260927T020000Z
DTSTAMP:20260818T212549Z
UID:event-45@paradisecitymusic
DESCRIPTION:The traditional folk songs of any country are often considered
  uncool — unless approached with a distinctive vision. Think Bob Dylan\,
  Fairport Convention\, or the Chieftains.“For Japanese people\, min’yo
 ̄ is both the closest and most distant folk music\,” says bandleader Ka
 tsumi Tanaka. “We may not feel it in our daily urban lives\, yet its mel
 odies\, vocal styles\, and rhythms are ingrained in our DNA.”Japan’s i
 ndigenous folk music\, min’yō\, consists largely of work songs rooted 
 in rural communities — music tied to daily life\, seasonal rituals\, and
  local identity. While some songs are known nationwide\, many remain regio
 n-specific\, and in modern Japan they are often unfamiliar to younger gene
 rations.Minyo Crusaders\, a Tokyo-based 12-piece ensemble\, reimagine this
  tradition through an expansive palette of global rhythms\, from cumbia an
 d reggae to Afro-Caribbean and African styles.The band was formed in 2011 
 in Fussa\, a culturally hybrid area on the western edge of Tokyo near the 
 Yokota U.S. air base. Guitarist Katsumi Tanaka\, originally drawn to globa
 l music\, began exploring min’yō in the aftermath of the 2011 Tohoku e
 arthquake\, seeking a form of Japanese roots music that resonated with him
 . Vocalist Freddy Tsukamoto — who had discovered min’yō after hearin
 g a song from his hometown on television — shared that vision\, and toge
 ther they laid the foundation for the group.Following early independent re
 cordings\, the band released their debut album Echoes Of Japan in 2017. Th
 e album garnered strong acclaim domestically and was later picked up for i
 nternational release\, leading to their first European tour and appearance
 s at major festivals including Trans Musicales\, Le Guess Who?\, and Oslo 
 World.Their international profile has continued to grow steadily. Since 20
 22\, Minyo Crusaders have toured extensively across more than 20 countries
 \, performing over 60 shows at major festivals such as Primavera Sound Bog
 otá\, Roskilde\, Fusion\, WOMAD UK\, Green Man\, Lowlands\, Sziget\, and 
 Best Kept Secret\, establishing themselves as one of the most dynamic repr
 esentatives of Japanese music on the global stage.Their 2023 album Tour Of
  Japan marked a new phase in the band’s evolution\, refining their arran
 gements while maintaining their signature energy.With From Japan With Love
  in 2026\, Minyo Crusaders take another step forward. The album is rooted 
 in the band’s deep affection for min’yō — a tribute to the music i
 tself\, its richness\, and its enduring potential to evolve across time an
 d cultures. Through this perspective\, the songs begin to reveal the many 
 layers of feeling they carry: expressions of human connection\, family bon
 ds\, and longing for one’s hometown that have been passed down through g
 enerations across Japan.Across the album\, traditional melodies are transf
 ormed through vibrant arrangements drawing on salsa\, cumbia\, afrobeat\, 
 and beyond. Songs such as “Hokkai Bonuta\,” “Hanagasa Ondo\,” “S
 higesa Bushi\,” and “Iyo Manzai” retain their regional identity whil
 e opening outward into a shared global language.\nTickets: https://ironhor
 se.org/shows\nFull listing: https://www.paradisecitymusic.org/show/45
LOCATION:Iron Horse Music Hall\, 18 Center St.\, Northampton\, MA
URL:https://www.paradisecitymusic.org/show/45
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