Among the long runningest of the many traditional jazz bands that have achieved extreme longevity is the New Orleans Rascals of Osaka, Japan. Americans who have the impression that the Japanese are particularly enamored with traditional jazz and especially love George Lewis have picked up that idea from The Rascals, and the efforts of the Original Dixieland Jazz Club of Osaka, which is related to the band. The Rascals formed in 1961. The founder of the band, Ryoichi Kawai, passed away in 2023. He himself had been inspired at the Waseda University New Orleans Jazz Club, founded in 1957, when he would have been about 18.
The 1963 visit of George Lewis and his All-Stars would become a primary influence on the sound of the Rascals, who from then on would focus on having a direct connection to the New Orleans portion of the revival. They would make their first visit to New Orleans and Preservation Hall in 1965, which began a very active back and forth of musicians between Osaka and New Orleans, which became, in a way, Twin Cities.
(This exchange is now being guided by Haruka Kikuchi who got her start at Waseda. Now well established as a trombone player in New Orleans she hosts many visiting Japanese musicians and has a series of recordings made pairing them with New Orleans musicians. Search for the Japan-New Orleans Connection series.)
Speaking of Twin Cities, Minneapolis/St Paul was i
