THE BEAT AHEAD

Isaku Kageyama of Amanojaku collaborates with Yuu Ishizuka formerly of Oedo Sukeroku in a rare concert that brings together different taiko schools _ and, while at it, forges an innovative “beat ahead” sound in Japanese percussion.
OCT. 22 Thursday at Crocodile in Harajuku, Tokyo 7 p.m. (doors open 6:30 p.m.)
advance tickets: 3,000 yen. at door: 3,500 yen.
Also featuring: Winchester Nii Tete, Chris Holland, Azn Steez, Bachi Atari.
Map to Crocodile
B1 New Sekiguchi Building
6-18-8 Jingumae Shibuya-ku Tokyo
150-0001
TEL: 03-3499-5205
For tickets: http://www.yuuishizuka.com/crocodile_ticketform.html

Hybrid Soul _ rock/fusion taiko _ in Roppongi


photo by Ryan Bruss.

HYBRID SOUL ( Chris Young on guitar, Pat Glynn on bass, Isaku Kageyama on taiko) presents MOSTLY MINYO at Roppongi Edge (TEL: 03-3505-4561) Friday, May 29, 2009.
Starts 8:30 p.m. (Doors open 8 p.m.) 3,000 yen (including one drink).

NOT YOUR GRANPA’S TAIKO
Eclectic and electrifying, Hybrid Soul brings rock ‘n’ roll to the world of taiko (traditional Japanese percussion) to deliver a totally modern version of “Bon” (summer festival) folk tunes, breathing new life into a down-home but complex Asian tradition with psychedelic sounds, the blues, funky rhythms and American-style rock.
The music of HYBRID SOUL is evolving _ with fresh tunes with every appearance.

Isaku Kageyama, an award-winning drummer with Amanojaku taiko ensemble, is also giving a TAIKO WORKSHOP at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Space
B2 Rehearsal Room
1-8-1 Nishi Ikebukuro Toshima-ku Tokyo 171-0021
7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
(!!!Your first lesson is free if you tell Isaku you saw it on this blog!!!)

San Francisco-born Isaku Kageyama has been studying with Amanojaku founder and leader Yoichi Watanabe Sensei since he was 6 years old.
He now plays with Amanojaku in concerts not only around Japan but also in Dubai, the U.S., China, Brazil, etc.
He recently played with Japanese jazz trumpet legend Toshinori Kondo.
He also collaborates frequently with Winchester Nii Tete, a master percussionist from Ghana.
Isaku became the youngest player ever to win the Mt. Fuji Odaiko Contest in 2000 when he was 18.
He also won the Hokkaido Odaiko Contest in 2003.
He has helped Amanojaku teach taiko drummers throughout Japan as well as overseas. He traveled to Brazil five times since 2004 to teach more than 500 Nikkei Brazilians.
In 2008, Amanojaku led the celebrations for the 100th anniversary of Japanese immigration to Brazil with a performance by 1,200 Brazilian drummers at the Sao Paulo samba festival space.

For more information on the concert or workshop, contact: Isaku Kageyama at Tel: 090-8506-9885, Fax: 03-3904-9434 or e-mail: isaku.kageyama@amanojaku.info

Isaku Kageyama’s taiko rock group Hybrid Soul


HYBRID SOUL presents MOSTLY MINYO
Isaku Kageyama on taiko drums.
Chris Young on guitar.
Pat Glynn on bass.

FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2009
Ekoda Buddy
doors open 8 p.m. and music starts 8:30 p.m.
Futaba Kaikan B2F
1-77-8 Asahigaoka Nerima-ku Tokyo
3,000 yen (includes one drink)
right by Ekoda station on the Seibu Ikebukuro Line.

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2009.
Shinjuku Takanoya
doors open 8 p.m.; set starts 8:30 p.m.
3,000 yen (including one drink)

JAPANESE MUSIC NEVER SOUNDED SO GOOD!
ISAKU KAGEYAMA is one of the principal drummers of premiere taiko ensemble Amanojaku. One of the finest players of his generation, Isaku became the youngest player to win Highest Honors at the Mt. Fuji Odaiko Contest, and became two-time National Odaiko Chmpaion in 2003.
CHRIS YOUNG began electrifying the stages of Texas, Florida and New York as a professional guitarist at age 16. Chris has made national tours, recordings and performances with artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Joe Lovano, Shirley Bassey, Angie Stone, Richard Bona and Sadao Watanabe.
A multi-talented and extremely verstaile musician, PAT GLYNN has played a variety of musical styles such as jazz, Broadway, rock, electronic and Latin. His professional peforming experience includes the Walt Disneyworld Orchestra, as well as national and international Broadway tours. Since moving to Tokyo in 2007, he has continued performing in a variety of groups, backing up performers such as Konishiki, Iwasaki Yoshimi and Simon Cosgrove.
Three different perspectives but one common vision.
By experimenting with Western rock, jazz, blues and Latin elements, Hybrid Soul breathes new life into the culturally and musically rich tradition of Japanese folk songs.