Such a great idea, chindon versions of New Orleans jazz. You wonder why it hasn't been done before. Formed in 1984 in Osaka, Ching-Dong Tsushinsha are Japan's most enduring chindon ensemble. The group was started by Koujiro Hayashi on trumpet, Shinnosuke Kobayashi on clarinet and Jersey Kawaguchi on banjo. Hayashi had started a New Orleans jazz club while at university, which turned out to be the genesis of Tsushinsha. He saw many similarities between jazz parades in New Orleans and the chindon street brass bands of Japan. 26 years later is an album of jazz tunes, including When the Saints Go Marching In, Weary Blues, Red River Valley, Lilly of the Valley, I Thought I Heard Buddy Bolden Say, Bucket's Got a Hole in It, all played in a chindon style. Original tunes are the title track 'I'll Take That Ching-Dong Jazz Music' and 'Doutonbori Koushinkyoku'. Brilliant.
