Drums in Performance

Featured Video

NEW! — Chieko Kojima – Hana Hachijo
Performed by Chieko Kojima & Kaoru Watanabe at Rhythmix Cultural Works on Friday March 4, 2011 as part of the Island to Island concert. This piece is Chieko's interpretation of a traditional drumming style from the Hachijo Islands. Chieko Kojima is a founding member of Kodo from Japan. Kaoru Watanabe is a former member of Kodo who currently performs and teaches in New York City.
 

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DRUM TAO - High Hopes (Panic! At The Disco Cover) Japanese Traditional Drums "太鼓" feat. HIDEHARU
DRUM TAO are Japanese Drumming Art Performers that have electrified the world. Youthful. Dymanic. Innovative. Pushing stuff outside the envelope. Japanese entertainment in a phenomenal performance using traditional Japanese instruments, “Taiko drums.” “The highly acclaimed debut of DRUM TAO in Broadway will represent not only Japanese entertainment but Japan itself” – Newsweek.
 

ShangoTaiko Taikothon 2023 - “A Bunch of Hillbillies with Sticks”
Oct 29, 2023 Taiko Community Alliance - TAIKOTHON 2023. A brief Video History of the genesis in 2023 of Shangö Mountain Taiko, the fragile delicate cherry blossom of a community group that we are hoping will take root and grow here in the Appalachian foothills. Features performance clips from three events – The Town of Bath Follies, Berkley Springs, WV, January 2023. Our Debut at Sakura Matsuri, Morgan Art Council, April 2023; Our first road trip to the World Association of Marching Show Bands Championship 2023, Friday Night Street Fair, July 2023.

Pieces Include, Seiichi Tanaka's Renshu; Matsuri Daiko, Traditional; Rome Hamner's, Izakaya Groove, and Sakura, Traditional - featuring Shakuhachi Master Bobby Seigetsu Avstreih.
 

NEW! — Shangö Mountain Taiko - Sakura Matsuri Debut
April 29, 2023. The debut of Shangö Mountain Taiko at the first Morgan Arts Council Sakura Matsuri festival at the IceHouse in Berkeley Springs, WV. With just over two months preparation, from square zero beginner players to very presentable. We gave it all we got and rocked the house. Wonderful reception and a standing ovation from a very appreciative audience.

NOW cones the hard part, getting this fragile cherry blossom to bloom, take root and grow. This is straight up audacious. We're new community group in a little Appalachian rural mountain town, with no Asian-American community, no Japan Society, no Buddhist church, no college... But if you don't take a shot at it, it doesn't happen! We hope this is just the start of something amazing! Gambatte!!!
 

Brian’s Matsuri - Tribute for a Drummer
In the summer of 202 we lost fellow drummer Brian "B.D" Tucker to Covid-19. He was one of Kurt’s very few Taiko Students, a good man and a son of Shangö. He had arranged this sonic tribute as Brian had started learning Renshu and Matsuri, with a little "Africa" thrown into the solo section keep it real. This year, Kurt remixed in the shimedaiko, bell, and some other thumpy bits to flesh out the arrangement.

It's one of the more appropriate ways to remember a drummer. He is missed, and not forgotten. Ashé.
 

Matsuri - Senryu Taiko – January 23, 2015: UCR's Senryu Taiko performs the taiko community song, Matsuri! This performance was for UCR's Circle K Kids Rock Annual Benefit Concert.

Matsuri Daiko is one of the most well-known and beloved Taiko festival Songs, played around the world. It's almost more a category of Taiko than a specific song. There are lots of ways to play Matsuri! Compare this performance to NYC's Soh Daiko's below.

Tengu Taiko Drummers play 'Raku' at UK Taiko Fest 2019 – Tengu Taiko Drummers performance of 'Raku' at the Taiko Beats concert during the 2019 UK Taiko Festival.

Raku is a marvelous upbeat and festive beginner-to-intermediate taiko song, particulalry suitable when there are a limited number of taiko available. Raku was written by Chabo-San of Shidara. www.tengutaiko.com
 

Clann an Drummma – Scotland’s leading Scottish Tribal Band (Yes, that’s a thing!) perfomring a very percussion posiive version if the instant classic, The Gael with tons of drmms! Wheeee!
 

TCA TaikoThon 2020 – This was the segment Kurt sent up for Taiko Community Alliance TaikoThon 2020, featuring Kurt and Shangö Percussion. Jambo and Konichi wa! We be jammin' in Berkeley Springs! Features our worldbeat take on Matsuri Daiko! Enjoy!

Taikothon is a live multi-hour on-line event to showcase taiko and the taiko community, typically hosted in autumn in alignment with TCA’s annual Membership Drive. This year featured a lot of Coping with Covid! More about TCA Taikothon, here: taikocommunityalliance.org/programs/taikothon/.
 

Miyake Daiko – A very masterful solo perfomance of the traditional Taiko Rythmn Miyake, arranged by Kodo Performed by Kaoru Watanabe with participants in Silkroad's Global Musician Workshop at Tanglewood Music Center, July 2017.
 

Matsuri Daiko – NYC's Soh Daiko performing their interpretation of the festival rythmn "Matsuri Daiko", Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert Series, New York City
 

Hayashi-Mamady duo. Grandmasters Mamady Keita (djembeföla) and Eitetsu Hayashi (taiko soloist) – Grandmaster Mamady Keïta djembefola & Eitetsu Hayashi acclaimed Japanese taiko drummer perform at National Theatre of Japan. Thank you to the National Theatre of Tokyo, Japan and to Katsuo Nonoue for giving us the rights to share this amazing video.