Asakumi

Asakumi Jinta, live, Austin Texas
There seems to be a lot of new and exiting things going on in Japanese popular music. The regular words and style-depictions pretty much fail to describe this kind of music - but I'll try. Here I want to introduce you to Asakumi Jinta - this group blew my mind. Sorry, there are virtually no empeethrees on the web and I could not find a wiki.
Asakumi Jinta is a 7 member band [male and female] from the Asakusa district in Tokyo - but they sound like a 21 member band. They call themselves Asianica Hard March Band. Their music style is a mix of rocakbilly, ska, up-tempo country, punk and Japanese Kenka and Kayokyoku from the 1930's (is this informative?).
Their base is Asakusa, Tokyo's old downtown, an area reminiscent of traditional Japan - you could think of New Orleans Jazz. They love this town and the people love the band as they are known as a marching band playing on the shopping streets or for week-long parades.
They are playing a modern style of music derived from the 1930s - actually it's much more than a '30s brass band - it plays in many different and mixed styles. Some songs are up-tempo country or rockabilly, but most of it is just frenetic klesmer. Just accordions and saxophones and trombones all playing lightning fast happy melodies while stand-up bass and drums and tubas throw down polka-style rhythms. Summary - this is a blow-your-brains-out never-heard-before sound, very energetic and dancaeble.
They have a MySpace where you can learn and hear more.

Enjoy