Nēnēs (ネーネーズ) is an Okinawan folk music group formed in 1990 by China Sadao (知名定男). The group name means "sisters" in Okinawan. Nēnēs is composed of four female singers who perform traditional Okinawan folk songs in traditional costume with sanshin accompaniment; they have also performed with a backing band, Sadao China Gakudan. They toured Europe and played New York City in 1994. An independent release, IKAWŪ, landed them a recording contract with Sony Records and a collaboration with Ryuichi Sakamoto. They hold a resident gig at the Live House Shima-Uta club in Naha, Okinawa.
Members
| Nēnēs Members | ||
|---|---|---|
| Original Members 1990–1997 |
Misako Koja [ja] Yasuko Yoshida Namiko Miyazato Yukino Hiyane |
古謝 美佐子 吉田 康子 宮里 奈美子 比屋根 幸乃 |
| 1997–1999 | Yasuko Yoshida Namiko Miyazato Yukino Hiyane Eriko Touma |
吉田 康子 宮里 奈美子 比屋根 幸乃 當眞 江里子 |
| 1999–2003 | Ryōko Koyama Erina Miyagi Kiyoka Ikei Keiko Hirata |
小山 良子 宮城 江利奈 伊計 季代花 平田 桂子 |
| 2004–present | Ayumi Yonaha Ayano Higa Nagisa Uehara Izumi Kinjō |
與那覇 歩 比嘉 綾乃 上原 渚 金城 泉 |
Discography
| Year | Title | Japanese | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | IKAWŪ | IKAWŪ (行かうー) | Disc Akabana | |
| 1992 | Yunta | ユンタ | Sony Records | |
| 1993 | Ashibi | あしび | Sony Records | |
| 1994 | Koza Dabasa | コザdabasa | Sony Records | |
| 1995 | Nārabi | なーらび | Sony Records | selections featuring Balinese jegog ensemble "Suar Agung" |
| 1995 | Natsu – Urizun | 夏 ～ うりずん | Sony Records | |
| 1996 | Koza – Nēnēs Best Collection | コザ ～ ネーネーズ・ベスト・コレクション | Sony Records | |
| 1997 | Akemodoro – Unai | 明けもどろ ～ うない | Antinos Records | |
| 2000 | Okinawa – Memorial Nēnēs | オキナワ ～ メモリアル・ネーネーズ | Antinos Records | |
| 2002 | Chura Uta | 美らうた | Dig Records | |
| 2002 | Saudade Okinawa – Healing Selection | サウダージ・オキナワ ～ ヒーリングセレクション | Epic Records Japan | |
| 2002 | Saudade Uchinā – Nēnēs & Friends Collection | サウダージ・ウチナー ～ ネーネーズ&フレンズ・セレクション | Ki/oon Records | |
| 2004 | Nēnēs Golden Best | ネーネーズ GOLDEN☆BEST | Sony Records | |
| 2004 | Shū | 愁 | Dig Records | |
| 2008 | Sai | 彩 | Dig Records |
Nēnēs also sang in the title track of Talvin Singh's Ok album.
References
- ^ Nippop Nenes Profile. Accessed May 16, 2007.
- NENES Archived 2007-08-12 at the Wayback Machine. Far Side Music. Accessed May 16, 2007.
- Live House Shima-Uta
- Nenes Archived 2006-06-17 at archive.today at Dig Music Promotion
- ネーネーズ(初代) Accessed March 25, 2008
Bibliography
- Henry Johnson, Nenes’ Koza Dabasa: Okinawa in the World Music Market. London: Bloomsbury Academic. (2021) ISBN 978-1-5013-5124-2
External links
- Nēnēs Discography (in Japanese)
- Nēnēs Profile (in Japanese)
- Live House Shima-Uta Nenes news and performance schedule (in Japanese)
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