RESONANCE 2014余韻2014

Live: Kaoru Watanabe Kiyohiko Semba Chieko Kojima Kaori Takahashi Testuro Naito Shogo Yoshii Azumi Yamano TokyoDex * We expect the venue to be crowded on 9/11. Guests will be seated in the order in which they arrive, and late-comers may be asked to stand in the rear of the venue. Thanks for your understanding! Artist Info: Kaoru Watanabe  A former member of  the Japanese taiko ensemble Kodo, Kaoru Watanabe is a practitioner of various Japanese transverse bamboo flutes, the taiko drum as well as Western flute.  His music can be best described as an ever shifting blend of the folk and classical traditions of Japan with contemporary improvisational and experimental music. From 2005 to 2007, Kaoru served as one of Kodo’s artistic directors, focusing on their world music festival Earth Celebration. During this festival, he directed shows that combined music, dance, and visual arts and that featured such luminaries as Zakir Hussain, Giovanni Hildalgo, Carlos Nunez, jazz pianist Yosuke Yamashita and casts comprised of West African stilt dancers, tap and contemporary dancers, traditional Japanese folk dance, live calligraphy, break dance, capoeira and of course the taiko. Also during and since his time with Kodo, Kaoru has worked closely with legendary Kabuki actor Bando Tamasaburo, an experience that had a profound effect on his artistic growth. In late 2006 Kaoru left Kodo and returned to NY to teach and continue performing fue, western flute and taiko in a variety of musical and artistic settings. Recent projects have taken him across the US, Canada, Japan, Mongolia, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Trinidad and Honduras. [Kaoru Watanabe Homepage](http://www.watanbekaoru.com) Kiyohiko Semba  The son of Koyu Semba, head master of the Semba School of Japanese traditional music, Kiyohiko Semba took up traditional drums and percussion under his father when he was just 3 years old. He made his debut on the Kabuki stage at the age of 10 and has been pursuing a career as a musician ever since. As a distinguished percussionist of deep musical capacity, Semba has developed many and diverse activities not only on the Japanese traditional music scene but also in the pop-music world and various traditional music genres. In 1999, he released his third solo album, "Semba, a Kozuchi of Rhythm" in which he exhibited his talents on 80 different percussion instruments. That same year, he formed a new group, “Unit Semba” with the talented bassists Nobou Nakahara and Benisuke Sakai, which later became "Semba Sonic Spear," releasing the group’s first album "Sonic Spear" in 2003. Nicknamed “Shiso” (master), Semba is is known throughout Japan and around the world as a true master of his craft and one the all-time great percussionists. [Kiyohiko Semba Homepage](http://www.3-dcorp.com/SEMBA/) Chieko Kojima  Chieko Kojima first encountered Japanese folk dancing when she moved to Sado to join "Sado no Kuni Ondekoza" in 1976, and in 1981 she went on to become one of the founding members of Kodo. She also seeks new expressions in the female song-and-dance trio "Hanayui" and has an active solo career that is perhaps best characterized in her ongoing project, "Yukiai." She is noted for her original style of dance in Kodo's taiko-based performances, exemplified by her vivid portrayal of the goddess Ameno-uzume in the first season of "Amaterasu" in 2006. She became a Kodo Distinguished Member in 2012 and spent much of 2013 traveling, visiting four countries in Europe as a Japan Cultural Envoy from the Agency for Cultural Affairs. [Chieko Kojima Homepage](http://www.kodo.or.jp/member/chieko_en.html) Kaori Takahashi  Kaori Takahashi grew up hearing her father play the viola and was playing the violin herself at the early age of four. She is active now as a acoustic violinist, electric violinist and viola player in myriad live projects and recordings. She has played with some of Japan's brightest music stars including her husband Kiyohiko Semba. [Kaori Takahashi Homepage](http://semba.moo.jp/KAORI/) Testuro Naito  Tetsuro Naito was a member of the internationally renowned Japanese drum ensemble Kodo for over 10 years, throughout which time he not only performed as a central figure on stage, but also served as a composer and artistic director. Many of his compositions were released on Kodo's CDs and continued to be performed on the stage today. In 2002, Naito left Kodo to launch a career as a solo artist. His superior technique and original sensibilities eanred him invitations to work on recordings and tours with innumerable artists including Toshiki Kadomatsu, DJ Krush, Soul Flower Union and the Yoshida Brothers. With an earnest fascination for the taiko and an unquenchable curiosity about what makes something "Japanese," Naito continues to explore new possibilities with this ancient instrument. In addition to his multiple solo and collaborative projects, he also directs the groups Dong Gara and ToMoRo. [Testuro Naito Homepage](http://tokorohare.com/) Shogo Yoshii  Shogo Yoshii is a former member of the taiko performing arts ensemble Kodo. He entered the Kodo Apprentice Centre in 2003 and became a Kodo member in 2007. On stage, he was featured on taiko drums, metallic percussion, bamboo flutes, kokyu (Japanese violin) and in dance pieces. In 2010, he joined the musical ensemble of "Babel," choreographed by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Damien Jalet. In the same year, he served as music director and performer in Arte y Solera's flamenco piece, "Dojoji." His original composition "Sora" is used in a textbook for Japanese elementary school students. [Shogo Yoshii facebook](https://www.facebook.com/yoshii.shogo.music) Azumi Yamano  Born in Yamaguchi prefecture, Yamano performed at the Hermitage Japan-Russia International Music Festival as a soloist along with a local orchestra in 2007. She has toured extensively in Asia, Europe and Latin America. [Azumi Yamano Homepage](http://www.aunj.jp/jpn/member/profile/azumi.html) TokyoDex  TokyoDex is an artist collective equipped to assemble a customized consortium of talent for any creative project. The name “Dex” is derived from the word dexterous, which means ingenious, clever, or skilled with one’s hands, a concept that aptly describes our wide range of capabilities. For Resonance, the TokyoDex artist team includes Shinpei Kashihara (Live Painting), Frankie Cihi (Live Digital Painting), Maiko Miyagawa (Live Photography) and D.H. Rosen (VJ). [TokyoDex Homepage](http://www.tokyodex.com)