Minyo Crusaders

Minyo Crusaders are a Tokyo-area band from Fussa who rework traditional Japanese folk songs (min'yō) over cumbia rhythms, mixing in Ethiopian jazz, Afro funk, reggae and Thai pop grooves. Their debut album Echoes of Japan set the template: traditional min'yō vocals riding a full horn-and-percussion band, a combination that makes the old songs sound closer to a Latin dancefloor than a folk hall. The Thai pop influence is a good reason for a Bangkok crowd to pay attention, and the music is built for dancing rather than polite listening.