Looking for a new band with a unique sound to listen to? Japan’s funk band, Otonana Trio, will be performing live at Shippensburg’s Thought Lot on Thursday, Oct. 20.

Otonana Trio is from Tokyo, Japan, and consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Kentaro Saito, bassist Kazuhisa Maekawa and drummer Hikari Kuroda.

Saito started his music career by attending a prestigious music school in Hollywood, California, and later earned a degree in jazz performance. Saito sought to form a band after he made money playing guitar outside of a French restaurant in New York City and later began a band with students from his school.

They were considered an AvantGarde punk band, a popular style of punk in the 1960s and ’70s. The band was successful since it strayed from the modern jazz genre. Saito’s band even headlined a major festival in Taiwan and made a Top 80 chart. Eventually the group broke up amicably.

Saito returned to Tokyo after an earthquake hit, and formed Otonana Trio with Maekawa and Kuroda. Instead of performing jazz or Avant Garde punk, Otonana Trio has more of a funk sound. According to its Facebook page, Otonana Trio’s genre is described as “the Japanese version of P-funk with a touch of Hendrix, Les Claypool and Sheila E.”

Otonana Trio has played more than 300 shows. It is becoming more popular in the United States as the group moves from playing at dive bars to actual venues like The Thought Lot.

Some popular songs by Otonana Trio include, “Somebody to Buy Me a Beer,” “The Ramen War III” and “Don’t Call Me in a Morning.” Most songs incorporate Japanese and English. The band has music videos on YouTube. Otonana Trio’s music videos offer humor and entertainment, and best represent how much fun the band puts into its music.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door, and $8 for Shippensburg University students with a student ID.

Do not miss the opportunity to see this Japanese funk band that sings about ramen noodles, because it sure will be entertaining.

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