More Talking Taiko

Photos by Takashi Itoh.

Talking Taiko

Winchester Nii Tete and I presented our collaborative pieces of poetry with music Sept. 28, 2008 at Bunga in Tokyo.
Photo by Takashi Itoh.

Winchester Nii Tete and Isaku Kageyama

This and more Good Music FRI Nov. 14 at Buddy.

Electric Bon Odori

Isaku is also doing this concert at Aoyama Mandala TUE Nov. 11, 2008,
with Chris Young on guitar, and Pat Glynn on bass.
Isaku is promising "a psychedelic roller-coaster ride."
Unlike a lot of taiko, the Amanojaku sound is Tokyo _ very "iki," funky and urban.
And so in essence it should fit rock and roll to paint a cosmopolitan cityscape of electric taiko.
20:00 (Doors open at 19:00)
3,000 yen admission.
For more information, call 090-8506-9885, or send e-mail: isaku.kageyama@amanojaku.info

Talking Taiko Again

EDO BAYASHI CONVERSATIONS
A COLLABORATION OF TRADITIONAL JAPANESE AND AFRICAN MUSIC

The Talking Drum takes an innovative turn when Isaku Kageyama, of Tokyo "taiko" _ or Japanese traditional drumming _ ensemble Amanojaku, gets together with Winchester Nii Tete, master percussionist from the Addy-Amo-Boye families of Ghana, for some serious heart-to-heart exchange in the universal language of music.

Isaku is my real-life son, and Winchester is dear to me like my son.
They have so much in common.
They are about the same age (in their 20s), both still man-child, grappling with the challenges of life.
They have both been playing music since they were children, and music is their passion and their life.
It's fascinating for me to see how the rhythms blend and form counterpoints to each other.

Isaku puts it like this: the music is like "a conversation between two friends, with jokes, laughter _ questions and answers."

I thank God Isaku has met someone like Winchester.
Artists are alone.
But they need peers _ fellow spirits.
Artists can endure all if they know at least one other artist he/she respects thinks what you're doing is pretty darn good.
And collaborating with Winchester gives you all that and more.

Daisuke Watanabe, also in his 20s, and son of Amanojaku leader and master composer Yoichi Watanabe, on taiko joins the Conversation.

Their first-ever collaboration "raibu" is at Ekoda BUDDY Friday, November 14.
20:00 (Doors open 19:00)
TEL: 03-3953-1152
Futaba Kaikan B2F Asahigaoka 1-77-8 Nerima-ku 177-0005
3,000　yen admission.
For more information, call 090-8506-9885, or e-mail Isaku at isaku.kageyama@amanojaku.info