Minyo Crusaders Return with Their Long-Awaited New Album
The Minyo Crusaders, a band that is reimagining Japanese folk music, will return to Cotton Club with a special live concert to commemorate the release of their new album, From Japan with Love.
The band has continuously received praise both domestically and overseas for their unique sound that fuses Japanese folk songs with worldwide rhythms. The Minyo Crusaders are influenced by calypso, reggae, Latin beats and other beloved cultural styles. From Japan with Love is the band’s first new release in approximately three years. As the title suggests, the concept of this new work is the band’s love and connection with folk songs. “Minyo,” or traditional Japanese folk songs, have been part of people’s everyday routines and passed down for centuries. They carry intimate memories and stories that connect communities. Expressing these feelings of generational ties has been the root of “Min-Cru style.” The new album will be released in North America by the prestigious Blue Note Records.
This live performance will feature Freddy Tsukamoto on vocals, Katsumi Tanaka on guitar, Chan Yuka on traditional Japanese percussion, Yukinori Yamaguchi on organ, Keitaro Kanamine on bass, Sonoo on timbales) , Mutsumi Kobayashi on bongos and multi-percussion, Naoya Madokoro on congas, Yusuke Noguchi on trumpet, Kayoko Yuasa on trombone and Koichiro Osawa on saxophone.
The show will also feature special guest Chitose Hajime on vocals. Hajime is a singer with roots in traditional shima uta “island songs” of her hometown Amami Oshima, the largest island in the Satsunan chain between the Kyushu and Okinawa regions. Hajime also participated in the Minyo Crusaders new album.
The first performance of both the July 26 and July 27 shows will also offer a program called “Jazz for Children,” that can be enjoyed by the whole family. With jazz clubs and live restaurants usually carrying a strong image as adult spaces and social venues, Cotton Club started the program as an opportunity for children and teenagers to also enjoy live jazz performances by top artists from Japan and abroad. Children between ages 3 and 18 can enjoy the Minyo Crusaders with half price tickets. The performance time is expected to be approximately 60 minutes, with a meet-and-greet session after the show. Reservations can be made by phone.
The first show on July 26 will open at 15:30 and start at 16:30. The second show will open at 18:30 and start at 19:30. The first show on July 27 will open at 17:00 and start at 18:00. The second show will open at 19:45 and start at 20:30.
