Park Foundation Music App

Home > Artists

Shogun Orchestra

[b]Shogun Orchestra[/b] is a New Zealand instrumental 11-piece ensemble, based in Wellington. This Afrofuturist band blends elements of funk, calypso, Afro-beat, Highlife, and Ethio-Jazz, with references to ancient samurai culture. It was established in 2010 by [a=Lucien Johnson] to raise money for the victims of Haitian earthquake at the charitable concert at San Francisco Bathhouse. The composer and saxophonist had spent three months in Haiti working in a theatre production earlier, and felt direct connection to their tragedy. Shogun Orchestra played some original compositions by Lucien Johnson, as well as traditional Haitian tunes, and contributed $5000 to the PyePoudre Cultural Center in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. After the initial success of the ensemble, Shogun Orchestra decided to record an album and started playing full-time, with a tour across Australasia. The ensemble also appeared at various prestigious festivals, such as [l=Womad] and [l=Wellington Jazz Festival]. In 2010, they released a debut self-titled [r=3544537] album on [l=Economy Records (2)], which was picked up for vinyl release in 2012 by [l=JAKARTA] label in Germany. This all-instrumental record featured original music by Johnson, as well as re-arranged Haitian melodies. [i]Shogun Orchestra[/i] was recorded by [a=Lord Echo] in Wellington, at legendary Bays Studios, home of [a=Fat Freddy's Drop]. One of the tracks from the LP, 'Bamako,' was featured on [url=https://www.discogs.com/label/544842]Radio Nova[/url]'s [r=3832314] compilation and received extensive airplay in Europe. The follow-up album, [r=5073794], was released in New Zealand on [l=Economy Records (2)]. It features vocals by Venezuelan-born singer [a=Jennifer Zea], who brought some authentic South-American salsa notes to Shogun Orchestra's groovy world music palette.