Before their glorious performance at TivoliVredenburg's Grote Zaal during Le Guess Who?, Japanese 10-piece ensemble Minyo Crusaders ventured into Utrecht to perform their song 'Tanko Bushi (炭坑節)', from their praised debut album 'Echoes of Japan', along the city's iconic and picturesque Oudegracht canal, also described as the 'lifeline of Utrecht'.
Independent filmmaker and sound explorer Vincent Moon (who also performed at the festival and is one of the founders of Paris-based La Blogothèque) captured the spontaneous performance for La Blogothèque's Take Away Show. Watch the video below.
You can also watch the group perform 'Mamurogawa Ondo' and 'Aizu Bandaisan' at the festival plus listen to their full set here.
"The mission of the Minyo Crusaders, a 10-piece big band, is to rescue min’yo from its highbrow status and return it to everyday life by setting its songs to assorted world styles. This debut opens with a blast of loping Colombian cumbia before moving on to Afrobeat, reggae, salsa and more. It’s an unlikely fusion, but the Crusaders come armed with a precision horn section drawn from assorted ska and jazz bands, and the often wistful melodies are skilfully woven into upbeat moods." - The Guardian
