Second Sundays #71: Aki Onda on Suigyu Gakudan

Artist and composer Aki Onda presents a listening session featuring rare recordings of the legendary Japanese ensemble Suigyu Gakudan (Water Buffalo Band, 1978-1985), founded by Takahashi Yuji. The session traces the group's activities and explores how their music was intertwined with citizens' movements and political solidarity — performing with portable instruments including the Taishō koto, Andean quena flute, harmonium, taiko drum and tambourine, bringing music directly to political rallies across Asia and beyond, later including songs supporting Poland's Solidarity, Chile's pro-democracy movement, and the Palestinian struggle. Second Sundays is a monthly series initiated by Q-O2, where each session a new guest shares an insight into their own listening and practice.