Ainu musician Oki Kano will return to Japan Society for a one-night concert with Oki Dub Ainu Band. The group is known for a fusion of reggae, African rhythms, electronic dub, and Ainu folk music. At the center of Kano’s work is the tonkori, a five-string instrument from Ainu tradition in northern Japan. After decades of decline in tonkori performance, Kano helped revive the instrument through research, collaboration with Indigenous practitioners, and new compositions.
The concert will mark the band’s full U.S. debut. Kano has toured across five continents while promoting Ainu music and culture.
In addition, Japan Society will host a separately ticketed conversation with Kano on June 5. The event will cover Ainu lore, tonkori traditions, his work in film, and his efforts to preserve Ainu culture.
Kano’s connection to Ainu cultural preservation deepened during his years in New York in the late 1980s, when he worked as a special-effects technician and became involved with Indigenous advocacy circles, including the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations. After he returned to Japan, he began exploring his Ainu heritage and encountered the tonkori. The band’s discography includes UTARHYTHM, Himalayan Dub, and Sakhalin Rock.
After the Japan Society performance, OKI will also appear at PS21’s Center for Contemporary Performance in Chatham, New York.
Visit japansociety.org/performing-arts for more information or contact the box office at 212-715-1258.
Author: World Music Central News Room
World music news from the editors at World Music Central