Japanese Salsa Ensemble Banderas Unleash "Luna" B/W "Kangaroo Boogaloo" from Frenzied Full-length La Bandera (P-Vine Records/Zainas)
Luna / Kangaroo Boogaloo by Banderas Banderas are an 11-piece Japanese Salsa ensemble—yes, you read that correctly! Formed in November 2014 in Tokyo , Banderas consists of pianist Kazuma Koseki 小関一馬 , vocalist, Yoshiaki Hagiya 萩谷嘉秋 , choras/percussionists Yasuji & Tinnen , bassist Masaaki Otomo 大友正明 , conga player Dategen 伊達弦 , Izpon on bongos, takeshi ogawa 小川岳史 on timbales, trombonist Masayuki Nakayama 中山まさゆき , sax player Ichirou いちろう , and trumpet player Naohito'temjin'Yomoda 四方田テムジン直人 . While I'll readily admit I'm not very well-versed in either traditional Japanese or Salsa music, it's great to hear Salsa/Latin/Afro stylings played through the scope of 11 frenzied and fun-loving, yet classically-trained Japanese musicians. Banderas have since, quietly released a number of 7-inch/digital singles including "Tema de Banderas" B/W "Banderas Mambo" on Zainas (2016)—later re-released on Swiss -based Matasuna Records in March 201...