Mari has a few pics of our recent TAIKO X2 performance with Kenny Endo at her blog Hypostulate. We love working with Mari, she’s a very talented MFA Candidate in the Media Design Program at Art Center College of Design. She took the photos and did the design for our UKIYO LIVE cd and her online portfolio can be viewed at marinakano.com.
Just got another review of “Ume in the Middle”. It’s quite a nice and detailed review so visit No Eyed Bird to read the full review:
On Ensemble delivers that mysterious, hypnotic attraction to beats with the release Ume In The Middle. Melding together traditional Japanese Taiko music with modern electro and jazz, the CD delivers delectable beats and blips with a dash of drone.
Thank you to all the taiko players who have applied to participate in this year’s Summer Taiko Institute, happening August 3-5, immediately prior to the 2009 Taiko Conference. Sign up now to take advantage of an amazing opportunity for three days of intensive taiko! The application process is quick and easy!
Applications are due Friday, April 10, 2009.
http://www.taikoconference.org/summer-taiko-institute
We’re pulling out all the stops to make this STI jam-packed with goodness! We’re composing a brand new taiko piece, to be debuted and taught to the 25 participants. The piece will be the foundation for exploring each step of the song cycle: from practice to performance to critical review and revision. In addition to basic form and technique training, participants learn practical tips for improving timing, musicality, and playing as a group. As the song is further polished, supplementary drills and performance concepts for refinement are explored. Along with specific techniques, rhythms, and drills, participants learn the On Ensemble members’ underlying philosophies and creative processes. STI participants come away empowered to apply the concepts to future songs. The course provides numerous take-home materials, in addition to the new piece itself, for sharing with participants’ home groups.
In the last few years, On Ensemble has been hard at work developing an extensive series of workshops, and we’ll be drawing from all this work for STI! In short, this is the going to be the best hands-on taiko intensive On Ensemble has ever done!
Visit http://www.taikoconference.org/summer-taiko-institute to learn more and apply!
Just got a nice review of “Ume in the Middle” by LMNOP.com:
Truly interesting and innovative stuff. On Ensemble is the quartet consisting of Masato Baba, Kristofer Bergstrom, Shoji Kameda, and Kelvin Underwood. These four individuals are heavily integrated into the world of music with hefty connections as far as the arm can reach. They are well-respected teachers, workshop leaders, and composers as well as performers. Ume In The Middle is a beautifully packaged album featuring a die cut front insert as well as a clear plastic sleeve that caresses the jewel case. The exquisite packaging is a perfect fit for the music contained within. Ume features nine tracks full of boundless imagination. Some of the tracks are surprisingly accessible while others are rather progressive and spontaneous. Instead of going for one style or sound, these folks apparently just let their imagination run wild. The results…are intriguing and strangely hypnotic. Our favorite cuts include “Yamasong,” “Hiroya vs. Miniboxx,” and “Bounce Back.” After hearing too many generic pop bands, this one comes across like a cool blast of fresh air… (Rating: 5+)