MONKEY MAJIK is a hybrid band consisting of Canadian brothers Maynard and Blaise (vocals and guitars) along with the Japanese rhythm team tax (drums) and DICK (bass).
Originally Maynard came to Japan as an ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) through JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching programme). The band was formed in 2000 and is still headquartered in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.
In January 2006, they debuted with their first single “fly” released through bynyl records. They received extensive play on 33 FM stations across the country.
In Feburary 2006 they released “Around The World”, the opening theme of the Fuji Television drama Saiyuki (Journey to the West), which became an explosive hit in Japan.
Their collaborations have brought them together with such artists as BENNIE K, m-flo, SEAMO and the Yoshida Brothers.
After the Great East Japan Earthquake, they established the ‘Send Love’ project and have been engaging in relief activities. They held an immensely successful outdoor charity concert in Osaka on July 3 and a charity live concert in Sendai on Oct. 16.
On Oct. 26, they released their new single “Headlight”, which is the infomercial theme song for the ‘Smile from Tohoku’ project.
Their latest single, “HERO”, released January 2012, is the Campaign Song for “Japanese Red Cross – Blood Donation at the Age of 20”campaign, intended to inspire the courage to meet tomorrow’s challenges.
Their concerts in Canada were made possible under the auspices of Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and their designation as KIZUNA Ambassadors (Ambassadors of RESILIENCE).
This is their second show in Ottawa after the concert in 2008 when they performed in the same venue (Zaphod Beeblebrox) as “Japan-Canada Goodwill Ambassadors”.
A performance is also planned for Toronto on Sunday February 19, 2012 at the JCCC (Japanese Canadian Cultural Center).
