Nenes - Shimajima Kaisha - with rare footage from 1994 European tour.

Back in 1994, Nenes were one of the main groups popularising Okinawan music around the world. Nenes toured Europe and played in New York in 1994. The concerts received rave reviews and drew people in the know from local Okinawans to a sprinkling of stars, especially for the London show.

A host of Western musicians were queuing up to collaborate with them; Ry Cooder joined them for their superb album Koza Dabasa, from which this track is taken. Then Michael Nyman and George Winston both declared their love of Nenes and Okinawan music in general, and UK Asian underground pioneer Talvin Singh asked them to sing on an album.

Their music was a perfect blend of modern and traditional, from those heartaching Okinawan ballads to upbeat reggaefied numbers.

International success never really followed, and the line-up went through many changes, eventually all four women singers being replaced. This video and track encapsulates probably the classic line-up of Nenes, and this is a classic song written by Tsuneo Fukuhara.

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