Rinken Band

Rinken Band (りんけんバンド) is an Okinawan (Japanese) band that helped popularize their homeland's musical forms and traditional Okinawan music starting in 1985, when their first hit, "Arigatou", was released.

Rinken Band was founded by Rinken Teruya, the son of well-known Okinawan folk music artist Rinsuke Teruya. The band fuses Okinawan folk music, pops, and celebratory eisā traditions to make ballads and dance tunes.

Rinken Band's most recent appearance in the United States was a concert in Oahu, Hawaii. They were featured at the annual Okinawan Festival of 2007.

Members

Rinken Band members
Teruya Rinken 照屋林賢 sanshin band leader
Tomoko Uehara 上原知子 vocals, drums, sanba, sanshin joined in 1988
Katsunori Inafuku 稲福克典 vocals, drums joined in 1993
Naoki Enobi 栄野比尚樹 vocals, drums joined in 2002
Kaoru Yonamine 與那嶺薫 vocals, drums joined in 2006
Akira Uehara 上原顕 bass guitar joined in 1993
Kiyohito Yamakawa 山川清仁 keyboards joined in 1993
Former members
Hayato Fujiki 藤木勇人 vocals  
Yoshimitsu Gakiya 我喜屋良光 vocals, finger whistle (指笛 yubi-bue)  
Yoshimi Kuwae 桑江良美 vocals, drums  
Toyoharu Ookawa   vocals, drums  
Mitsuru Tamaki 玉城満 vocals  
Kazunari Uechi 上地一成 drums, percussion, vocals  
Masaaki Uechi 上地正昭 bass guitar, vocals  
Tsugumi Yonemori 米盛つぐみ keyboards, vocals  

Discography

Audio CD

Year Title (Okinawan) Japanese Label Notes
1987 Arigatou ありがとう Sony Records  
1990 Nankuru なんくる Wave  
1991 Rikka リッカ Sony Records mini album (4 songs)
Karahāi カラハーイ Sony Records  
1992 Ajimaa アジマァ Sony Records  
1993 Rinken Band りんけんバンド Sony Records best selection
Banji バンジ Sony Records  
1994 gon gon ゴンゴン Sony Records  
1995 Cheren チェレン Sony Records  
1996 A Star (Hitotsu bushi) 一つ星 Indies Maker  
1997 Nachi nu fa 夏ぬ子 Sony Records / Indies Maker  
1998 Mantin nu yorokobi 満天ぬ喜び Indies Maker  
Party (Pārī) パーリー Sony Records / Tristar  
1999 Nifee (Nifē) Indies Maker  
2000 Qing-dahmi Qing-dahmi (チンダミ) Indies Maker / The Orchard Rinken Band Best
2001 Orinasu hibi 織りなす日々 Indies Maker  
2002 Shima-jū shichi-gwachi 島中七月 Indies Maker Rinken Band Eisā Special
2003 Eisā EISA(エイサー) Rent Rack Japan  
Ajimaa no uta あじまぁのウタ Rent Rack Japan
Urizun – Rinken Band New Best URIZUN~りんけんバンドニューベスト Sony Records / Gt Music best selection
2008 Golden Best – Rinken Band GOLDEN☆BESTりんけんバンド Sony Records / Phantom Sound & Vision best selection
2012 Kugani michibushi 黄金三星 Rinken Records  

Video / DVD

Year Title (Okinawan) Japanese Label Notes
1992 Njifa ンジファ Video Maker 2006 release in DVD format
1995 Tink Tink Tink ... Primal Pulse ティンクティンク TC Entertainment 2003 release in DVD format
2004 Pineapple Tours パイナップルツアーズ PDD (ピーディディ) music for the film
Ajimaa no uta, Tomoko Uehara, Tenshi no koe あじまぁのウタ 上原知子 天使の声 Rent Rack Japan  
2008 Rinken Band Karahāi Live 2007 Kanzen-ban りんけんバンド カラハーイライブ2007完全版 Video Maker live concert footage from 2007

Sources

External links