The whole thing kicked off with a spirited rhumba, which really showed off how solid the rhythm section was, especially percussionist and steel drummer Youhei. But there is no doubt that this was Takeo’s band, his confidence and charisma captaining this chartered vessel. Despite the fact that the temperatures were dropping into a chilly Naeba night, the Shokudo stage was hot.

From Cuba the set proceeded to travel broadly, through calypso to bolero and samba to reggae, and even blues! If there is rhythm and heart in the music, Takeo and his band can take it on. Their Jump Blues might have been the least Caribbean song in the set, but it also may have been their best, Takeo somewhere between a bluesman and Cab Calloway (even going for some classic call and response). It was also a song which let the trombone shine, which is always a treat. After a short and breezy 40 minutes Takeo and his band departed from the stage and left behind a faint whiff of tropical drinks and coconut oil to see us through the rest of our decidedly less tropical mountain festival night.