Okinawan Rock
Okinawa has a long history of rock, whose roots stem from the influence of the largest American military presence in Asia. This presence, during times of change for Okinawa, led to the making of a vibrant rock 'n' roll scene in the heart of Okinawa City, a scene that is still visible even today. Okinawa was the home of the rock revolution in Japan, with bands such as Murasaki, Condition Green, Cannabis, Kotobuki and Medusa at the forefront.
A number of live houses owned by these musicians as well as those that appeared in the '90s in Okinawa City have enabled rock 'n' roll lovers to see their favorite artists, new and old. A few of the venues where you can listen to live music are 7th Heaven Koza, owned by Ray from Murasaki; Jet, owned by Kotobuki's leader, Jimmy Ginoza; Jack Nasty, owned by Kachan of Jack Nasty; Fujiyama; and Hideaway. If you are still hungry for more, visit the Peaceful Love Rock Festival held every July.
The rock 'n' roll boom in Okinawa set a precedent for new styles of music such as Okinawa Indies, Okinawa Latin and Okinawa Pop to earn recognition at a national level as well as around the world. Okinawa pop stars such as Speed and Amuro Namie, with her record-setting album sales, gave hope to other artists in Okinawa. The Okinawa indies scene has won enough recognition to have its own corner in many music stores. Bands like Mongol 800, Jigoku Guruma and Anger From Ball with their musical diversity have made sure Okinawan rock will continue to grow. Diamantes and Kachimba lead the Okinwawa Latin music scene.
Okinawa has a long history not only of minyo and rock but of jazz as well. Okinawans picked up on jazz as a form of expression after World War II, and it seemed to grow with the rock seen during the Vietnam War era. Artists like Paul Ishigaki caressed the ears of soldiers with his jazz and led to the spread of jazz musicians throughout Japan. You can still see many Okinawan jazz artists such as Ishigaki and others at various live houses island-wide.
It is undeniable that Okinawan Rock is a live and growing force. As the music of Okinawa continues to develop and blossom, musicians still play the tunes of the past while reinventing revolutionary music for the future. |
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