Taiko performances can give audiences the impression that taiko and martial arts are closely-related disciplines, if not fully intertwined as one art. The group TAO seeks to obliterate any distinction between the two while putting on a dynamite concert. Since I have no background whatsoever in martial arts, I cannot comment definitively on how successfully TAO accomplishes this mission; however, in performance there is no question that TAO puts on a thrilling, exciting show. This is a group that hits an audience between the eyes with blazing energy, exuberant, restless rhythms and exceptional athleticism.

Thanks in part to the fine acoustic environment of the Berklee Performance Center, the group’s sound was clean and articulate. An array of wireless mics for the performers and instruments was no doubt carefully aligned, with degrees of reverb calibrated and volumes balanced. TAO’s attention to sound prompted me to recall the amount of time Mark, Victor and others spent working on the sound balance for ONE’s “reVision” concerts.

The group’s choreography is precisely crafted – down to the last detail. While much of the movement was performed with a panache that suggested spontaneity and improvisation, my impression was rather that these had each been completely planned and polished, calculated for maximum effect so as to leave nothing to chance. From time to time the group seemed to pull in an element from Blue Man Group here, a comedic exchange there, which never failed to entertain the audience. The group’s visual appearance also evinced a similar attention to minute detail: the costumes were excellent, and even the performers’ hair was scrupulously tended to, whether frizzed out, short and spiky, or drooping locks partially obscuring the eyes, a multitude of styles, every strand perfectly in place.

The transitions possessed some ambiguity; was the music being played still part of the previous song, an entirely different song in its own right, or the intro to the next song? On one hand this could be confusing for those who like to know what’s being played and when, but I think many people would prefer to simply experience the performance without wondering which song is which. Having no clear start or finish to some of the songs helps to convey a quality of time out of time so that the audience comes under the group’s spell.

The group’s outstanding athleticism is mainly demonstrated by the male drummers, which made me wonder about how TAO sees the role of its female members, who, other than assertively playing Odaiko, generally do not perform the most physical or flashiest movements. Precision-crafted choreography isn’t limited to one particular physique or brute strength; while we may never know the rationale behind TAO’s leadership’s decision to not have any of the women participating in the same choreography as the men – at least, in the full-ensemble pieces featuring the most aggressive, acrobatic moves – audiences will wonder: Why does it have to be that way?

A remarkable contrast of styles came to mind, having seen Kodo in 2009 and TAO one year later: Kodo, for all its virtuosity, is exquisitely economical in its movement and playing. Not an ounce of wasted energy. On the other hand, while TAO does not recklessly misuse energy, its members expend an extraordinary amount of it to achieve the extroverted, aggressive, dynamic entertainment that appears before the audience. To use a pair of sports metaphors, it’s like the group was playing full-court, run-and-gun basketball while running two half-marathons – with only a 15-minute intermission in between.

I don’t want to sound like I’m nit-picking, but a possible shortcoming of this approach is that subtleties of sound, composition, and performance can be lost on an audience after they’ve been hit with a pumped-up sonic and visual barrage.  If TAO seeks to achieve a perfect blend of art and full-throttle taiko, the group may need to explore ways to strike the right balance so audiences will appreciate the quiet songs just as much as the noisy ones.

The group’s approach suggests a fascinating cultural perspective; the members live and train in a national park on the island of Kyushu, observing a strictly disciplined lifestyle and practice schedule in much the same way as Ondekoza, Kodo and Shidara. However, while such groups strive to maintain a thoroughly Japanese identity and serve, one could say, as guardians of Japanese culture, TAO deliberately steams ahead in a different direction. For example, right from their first recording, many of the compositions reveal non-Japanese influences; songs like “Horizon”, “Queen”, and especially “Maori” go beyond traditional taiko rhythms. Most telling is the fact that the group is establishing an office in NYC and its management apparently views America as a kind of entertainment Mecca. TAO doesn’t just want to embark on world tours – it wants to enjoy a level of success in America far surpassing that of any predecessors or contemporaries.

Any reservations aside, TAO performs exhilarating, vibrant, engaging taiko – simply, it’s a “must-see” ensemble. I hope the group continues to pursue new ideas for making taiko accessible to people who might otherwise have no interest in seeing a taiko performance, and it would be great if their combination of taiko and entertainment leads more people all over North America to discover the unique quality of joy imparted by taiko – and to discover the taiko groups that already exist within their own communities.

Rockin' out on Shin-en

With festival pieces like “Matsuri” and “Shin-en” in our repertoire, it was only natural that Odaiko New England would be invited to perform for the Allston Village Street Fair. Dubbed an “urban Mardi Gras”, this event featured many different bands and performers, and we were thrilled to be adding taiko to the musical stew for everyone to enjoy.

Our presentation for the fair was a bit different than our concerts; we played right on Harvard Avenue, between Commonwealth and Brighton Avenues! We played mainly to passersby strolling up and down the street instead of a seated audience, so we opted to perform 4 pieces as a set which we could repeat as needed for the duration of our time slot.

Due to our limited space, we arranged a setup of three chu’s, an okejime set, and miscellaneous percussion. An advantage of the set rotation was that everyone got a chance to play different roles for each song. Thus, I sometimes played chappa, sometimes uchiwa, and other times a chu daiko.

We played two popular pieces from ONE’s repertoire on nanamedai, or slant-stands – Matsuri and Hachijo. Personally, I thought we rocked out pretty well on Hachijo, and the dramatic choreography of that song made it a crowd-pleaser even for casual observers, compelling them to pause, listen & watch. Another highlight for me was my first-ever opportunity to finally play Shin-en on a chu! For more than two years I’ve had “ji duty” when playing Shin-en, setting the groove with the swing ji rhythm at our concerts and other performances, so there was real satisfaction for me in finally playing the chu part.

After awhile, the two main stages began sound checks for the PA systems and bands, and the volume was just too much for our unamplified drums. We were all set to perform the next song, but how much of it would anyone really hear? Mark came up with a great solution to this impasse: we grabbed all our portable equipment (okedo’s, chappa, uchiwa, kane and fue) and took our brand of taiko on a mini-parade down the street and back again! This unexpected excursion was really fun and made for a fitting conclusion to our performance.

I must add that our merchandise table was staffed by the indefatigable Joy. Despite nursing a sore ankle, she played chappa from her chair for a few songs and efficiently managed our table. And while the rest of us were busy preparing for the next song, or supervising a youngster having a go at playing one of our chu’s, Joy handled inquiries from the passersby stopping to peruse our wares and sign up on our mailing list.

Due to the transient nature of the audience we played for, one of Kenny Endo‘s pearls of wisdom came to mind - the notion that at a given concert there will be people hearing taiko for the first time as well as people hearing taiko for the last time, and we want them to have a good experience of taiko. On a warm, sunny, late summer Sunday in Allston, I think we left people in either of those categories with a positive  experience of taiko.

It was a fun gig, rather like a combination of a Young Audiences show and concert. Mark started things off with some lively katsugi okedo playing, then the rest of us bounded into action for a joyous Shin-En. I had the opportunity to play chappa for it on this night, and I did my best to roam around the perimeter of the audience, jump, skip, frolic and generally look like I was having a grand old time. Actually I was enjoying the moment, so I didn’t have to act. That came later.

I should add that we rattled the rafters of the venue with one of our big-sounding, full-cast, all-hands-on-deck repertoire pieces – Mahora.

Mark, Juni & Kristen performed a chappa trio midway through the show, with delightful flourishes, crisp exchanges and inventive soloing. Usually Shigeru joins at the very end, adding to the comedic elements embedded in the arrangement. However, he wasn’t there this night… but I was.

Timing, goofy play-acting and a big pair of cymbals (trash can lids look great but don’t have much of a sound) are the prerequisites for the part. Since I’m already kind of goofy, big & ungainly I was halfway there. All I had to do was arrive at the right moment beaming a big, silly, eager smile. My countenance then morphed to perplexed when the others didn’t join me, then transitioned to sad. Just to add my own stamp on the performance, I gave the audience my best sad-puppy-dog-look and dejectedly ambled away. Kudos to Cat for suggesting I take the part in Shigeru’s absence, and to Mark for trusting I could make it happen. I think the audience got a real kick out of it.

After our spirited finale of Matsuri, we received a rousing standing ovation. Thank you, Chelmsford!

Taiko players packed the room, and enjoyed dinner together at the opening reception on Thursday evening.

The first full day of the North American Taiko Conference (NATC), Friday the 7th, was even more of an eye-opener than I thought it might be. While it may be that not every North American taiko group currently in existence was represented there, the experience, skill level, and chops of those in attendance both inspired and challenged me. As a sempai for most of our Community Members in ONE, I bear a responsibility for maintaining and improving my taiko and serving as an example for others.  Translating this to the larger taiko community, it felt somewhat like a wake-up call for me to evaluate anew my capabilities, weaknesses, and taiko IQ, one might say, relative to my experience. Not in a ruthlessly competitive way; more along the lines of seeing a fellow workshop participant play well and thinking, “Hey, that was pretty good and he had said he started playing taiko just 2 years ago….” The skills flashed by the different groups performing in the Taiko 10 concert drove home that point.

Meg Suzuki, back in her days with ONE, hanging out with the members of KODO. Meg, did you really bake cookies with the KODO logo?

Several members of ONE trekked to Keene, NH, to witness the cyclone known as San Jose Taiko rock the Colonial Theater. ONE has a direct connection to SJT in the person of Meg Suzuki; before she left ONE to join SJT’s artistic staff, Meg-sensei taught the classic taiko song Yatai Bayashi and more to me and fellow Community Member Kate, among others.  Meg’s success and continuing taiko excellence as a member of SJT is inspiring!

Adam Weiner - from the San Jose website

SJT’s opening song began not with a sonic boom, but rather an odaiko conversation the soloist had with the audience. The crowd was swiftly yet subtly engaged and drawn in to the piece, as the song’s sonic signature evolved.  The ensemble performed the next composition; observing the members’ kata, whether it was unfolding in unison or shifting in waves of synchronous movement, I thought my eyes beheld a taiko kaleidoscope.

The range of moods, sounds and rhythms of the journey SJT shared with the audience during the course of the concert, as well as within each composition, reminded me of a classical musician’s recital program. Just as a classical recital draws upon the music of different composers and eras to create dynamic and varied soundscapes, so too did SJT’s imaginative set.  Their creative use of percussion accessories, especially during transitions, was outstanding. Even the songs provided mini-journeys: each composition’s multiple sections featured embedded themes and choreography serving as audio-visual reference points.

Two indelible images resonate still from that concert: Meg Suzuki lightly skipping and joyfully bounding across the stage, spinning melody after melody on her fue, and my new taiko hero, Adam Weiner, the ‘tall guy’ in the group, beginning a solo on his knees (!) – reaching up with his wingspan to strike the elevated drums.

The Frosty Five. The freezing cold couldn't cool off our enthusiasm and energy, which we shared with the crowd.

I met up with Karen, Greg, Beth & Matt in NYC on Saturday the 17th. We festooned the rental minivan with DC or BUST!! signs and red, white & blue ribbon streamers and embarked upon our big trip in high spirits. Everyone got me up to speed on the events of Friday, including On Ensemble’s performance at DROM and the infamous karaoke tab. Kudos to the crew for a well-provisioned ride to Silver Spring, MD, home of our hostess, Victoria.

On Sunday we outfitted ourselves with cold-weather gear and percussive devices and went to the National Mall; once we began to play taiko, heads turned. It was interesting to observe passersby and note how much attention you can get from banging on drums & a cowbell – a Fox affiliate filmed us and briefly interviewed Greg!  The concert at the Lincoln Memorial was spirited and fun to watch, even from one of the many Jumbotrons.

A noteworthy event the night before the Inauguration was a performance by a female Brazilian percussion group, Batala, which we’d only just heard about a few hours before. This group grooves mightily on samba, reggae and other rhythms. While their choreography didn’t have some of the assertive, sweeping features of a piece like Hachijo or Miyake, the group played with grace and power, non-stop, in a lengthy performance. Personally, I interpreted it as a kind of Brazilian kumidaiko. Most impressive.

Beth brought a bunch of white dishtowels we converted into hachimaki for Inauguration Day, inscribed with “TAIKO FOR OBAMA” in Sharpie. Karen, thinking ahead, had brought one of O.N.E.’s winter happi coats, which she wore outside her jacket and other layers. This, combined with her electric blue muffler, made for quite the unique Inaugural outfit. We boarded the red line Metro train at Silver Spring station….within minutes we were compressed into one big human sandwich. A TV cameraman even filmed our overstuffed train at one stop! We briefly debated changing to the yellow line when we disembarked at Gallery Place, but one look at the platform convinced us to abandon the notion. March onward, taiko foot soldiers!

President Obama taking the Oath of Office - as seen by O.N.E. in D.C.

After enduring a variety of false starts & seeking information/advice from various security personnel, we charted a zig-zagging, indirect course to the National Mall and chose a Jumbotron-viewing spot next to the reflecting pool – it could have doubled as a skating rink in the Arctic chill gripping the region. We arrived in time to see the House & Senate leaders take their places, as well as the living former Presidents Carter, Bush 41, and Clinton…..Aretha Franklin – and her hat ….Justice John Paul Stevens administering the Oath of Office of the Vice President to Joe Biden….Chief Justice Roberts administering (with a fumble) the Oath of Office of the President to Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States of America….the stirring, powerful oratory of President Obama’s Inaugural Address.

We had one more percussion jam before heading back to Boston: we participated in a drum parade from Dupont Circle to the African American Civil War Memorial. Among the drummers playing a bewildering variety of instruments was a small group of percussionists playing drums attached to a peculiar apparatus….at first sight it looked like a bizarre Rube Goldberg contraption, a science project gone awry: it seemed to be a hybrid of wheelbarrow, bicycle and antenna. Truly, though, it was a clever construct: suspended from various arms were a variety of tom-toms & other drums plus a few percussion odds ‘n’ ends. Our fellow drummers were enthusiastic, and it was an enjoyable, fun parade. It provided a nice rhythmic capping-off to a truly momentous day in American History – and We Were There!!

(Note: for the full-length, four-part blog I wrote about our DC Trip, check out http://onetaikoadventures.blogspot.com/)