"A delightfully quirky album of min'yō folk songs, traditionally performed by fishermen, coal miners or sumo wrestlers, reimagined in settings that range from Afrobeat and reggae to an unexpectedly charming bolero" The Guardian
"A concert quite unlike any other... MInyo Crusaders played with such verve and good cheer that most of the Jazz Café was dancing by one song in; a rare sight on a Monday night" The Times
"Fascinating… love this. Thoroughly recommended" Gilles Peterson
"They bring dormant music into a dynamic 21st century setting" MOJO
Minyo Crusaders rework historic Japanese folk songs (min'yō) with Latin, African, Caribbean and Asian rhythms on their debut album "Echoes of Japan", released 26th April on Mais Um.
Recent releases from Ryuichi Sakamoto, Haruomi Hosono and Midori Takada have re-ignited global interest in Japanese music and with Ry Cooder, Mario Galeano (Ondatrópica/Frente Cumbeiro) and Clap! Clap! already fans of the ten-piece, "Echoes of Japan" marks the arrival of a big band like no other, where distinctive min'yō vocals glide over grooves that join the dots between cumbia, Ethiopian jazz, Thai pop, Afro funk and reggae