Reclaiming Legacy

Nikkei Music Reclamation Project: Creating Music Connected to the Roots

On June 26, 2022, the second incarnation of the Nikkei Music Reclamation Project, an initiative of Sustainable Little Tokyo, rolled out a showcasing of the work of three gifted artists and their original compositions at the Aratani Theater at the Japanese American Cultural Community Center (JACCC) in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles.

This project seeks to continue and extend generations of work done by Japanese American musicians to lay claim to tradition while expressing unique experiences of life in the present, via the lenses of various vantage points within the “Nikkei,” or Japanese American diaspora.

Sara Sithi-Amnuai, Shin Kawasaki and Niall Taro Ferguson, all accomplished musicians, performers and composers prior to participation in the project, were mentored by veteran creatives, Nobuko Miyamoto, Mark Izu and Derek Nakamoto to consider how they might pursue a creative path that was never encouraged in higher education or by the confines of existing mainstream commercial employment.

The result was work that was deeply personal and poignant, that resonated from the depths of their souls, resulting in a powerful and moving concert.

Leaders of the project, Tomi Kunisaki and Taiji Miyagawa, with the support of Scott Oshima and Alma Guzman of Sustainable Little Tokyo and the JACCC, wish nothing more than the best for the three mentees and look forward to continued contributions as members of the unique circle of Japanese American musicians who continue making their mark on the U.S. cultural landscape.

Website: https://nikkeimusicreclamation.com

Instagram: @nikkeimusicreclamation

YouTube: Nikkei Music Reclamation

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