Minyo Crusaders, the Japanese musical collective specialized in fusing the musical tradition of Japanese folklore with the sounds of the Caribbean, Latin America and Africa, visit next Monday 21 July Madrid at the grounds of the Noches del Botánico, Real Jardín Botánico Alfonso XIII (Av. Complutense, s/n, 12), at 20.30 hours, and San Sebastián, on the 23rd in Jazzaldia in the Frigo gunea (Congress Palace and Auditorium Kursaal, Avenida de la Zurriola, 1), within a European tour that has received the support of Fundación Japón.
Minyo Crusaders, founded in 2012 by guitarist Katsumi Tanaka and singer Freddie Tsukamoto, seek to revitalize popular Japanese songs or “min’yo” through this energetic fusion, what turns each of their performances in an authentic party of sounds with which to make known the popular songs of various enclaves of the world.
The band aims to revitalize historical Japanese folk songs called “min’yō,” a Japanese folk music that has been in decline for decades and which they combine with Latin, African, Caribbean and Asian rhythms. Originally sung hundreds of years ago by the Japanese working class as fishermen, coal miners and sumo wrestlers, these min’yō songs have fallen into oblivion, although they are still ingrained, according to Katsumi Tanaka, in the DNA of the Japanese.
Her first studio album, Echoes of Japan (2017), was very well received in Japan and released internationally in 2019. Followed a debut European tour that included several festivals. Since 2022 they have performed in more than 20 countries and have definitely established themselves as the most dynamic representative of the Japanese world music scene.
Her first studio album, Echoes of Japan (2017), was very well received in Japan and released internationally in 2019. Followed a debut European tour that included several festivals. Since 2022 they have performed in more than 20 countries and have definitely established themselves as the most dynamic representative of the Japanese world music scene.
Minyo Crusaders is a very interesting group to see on stage, their concerts are fun and full of contagious energy. The Japanese use min’yō as a vehicle to explore and merge different musical traditions of the world, bringing Japanese folklore to new audiences, showing how music can transcend borders and generations.
