SONICS-TOKYO - Captivating Sounds of Steel
SONICS-TOKYO is a non-professional steel orchestra established in 1999 in Japan, by Trinidadian arranger/player/teacher and producer of steelpans – Michael ‘Manish’ Robinson, and citizens who loved his Trinidadian style music.
Three ladies met with Manish who lived in Miyazaki – 1,000 km southwest from where they lived in Tokyo – to learn to play steelpans. They visited him two or three times, but as the airfares was really costly, Manish offered to conduct a workshop in Tokyo. Several visitors to the workshop wanted to continue their lessons and this initiated the birth of the steel orchestra
Manish proposed that the steel orchestra be named, SONICS-TOKYO which combined his father’s single pan band’s name, Super Sonics, that won the Ensemble Category of the Pan is Beautiful IX in October 1998 with Tokyo.
Band Logo
In 2000, SONICS started to play at events with around 10 players, which soon increased to 20, and now stands at more than 30 within a decade, this is because members of the audiences at their events have been fascinated and want to play the captivating music.
They have mesmerized their audiences when they played at the Tokyo Disney Land, the world biggest Japanese drums festival nearest to Narita Airport, parties/weddings hosted by Westin or other hotels, and seasonal festivals the organizers have invited who were audiences before. SONIC-TOKYO once played on Tensai TV-kun (broadcasted by NHK, Nihon Hosou Kyokai. Japan’s most popular long run variety show for kids). At that time, Manish taught them for one year.
Manish moved to Yokohama – just 25 km from Tokyo – around then, SONICS-TOKYO hosted concerts. One of their most unforgettable memories was in 2012, when Manish invited Ken ‘Professor’ Philmore to Japan, as a special guest for the Manish & Sonics concert. They did not only play steelpan together but also spent precious time, singing at a Karaoke shop and really enjoying a member’s home party for ‘Professor’s’ birthday. They missed ‘Professor’ so much and will never forget his humility, sense of humor and the genuine loving person he was.
Sonics Tokyo performing at concert in Tokyo.
2020 was the year for Sonics-Tokyo’s 20th anniversary and the Covid 19 Pandemic, took its toll, all their regular events were cancelled. A number of their members had participated consecutively in the Trinidad and Tobago Panorama competition for many years, but could not in 2021 as it was cancelled. This was very sad for steelpan lovers globally but Sonics-Tokyo Steel Orchestra continues rehearsing for the next chance.
