Kenny Endo demo & concert in KENTUCKY(Apr.2)

April 2, 2009  ThursKenny Endo Ensemble lecture/demonstration & concert in KENTUCKY

4 pm Lecture/Demonstration; 7:30 pm Concert Murray, Kentucky - Wrather Hall, Murray State University

with Mike Block@Caffe Vivaldi(Apr.1) CANCELLED!!

April 1st, Wednesday with Mike Block@Caffe Vivaldi 9:30-11 (FREE!)

Well, Mike and Dan will be playing but I unfortunately will be missing this one.  Reasons why too long to list here...

The taiko class in Brooklyn is happening however!  Thank you.

1)  Mike Block (cello) and Kaoru Watanabe (Japanese/Western Flutes) and 2) the return of MANDIKE!!!! with Dan Cords, Saxaphone

At Caffe Vivaldi in the West Village -- FREE! all ages welcome!

32 Jones Street (inbetween 6/7 avenues just north of Bleeker) TRAINS: 1 train to christopher st., or A/C/E/F/V/B/D trains to W 4th http://caffevivaldi.com/- bring an appetite - they have good food and beer!

Live schedule in March ‘09

Please click the title to see for more information; Live with Jason Moran / Alicia Hall Moran （March,1) 4 pm@First United Methodist Church(CT)

duets with vibraphonist Chris Dingman(Mar.5) @Le Grand Dakar(NYC)

guest with Bonten - a taiko group from Japan(Mar.6) 7pm@Cornell University in Bailey Hall(NY)

New DROM Japan Series (Mar.12,26)

Taiko x2: On Ensemble and Kenny Endo(Mar 28) @Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts(CA)

Kaoru Watanabe/ Adam Rudolph / very special SURPRISE GUESTS?! @DROM(Mar.29) @DROM(NYC)

Kaoru Watanabe Taiko Center Update late Feb/March activities '09

Here is the schedule for Kaoru Watanabe Taiko Center classes.  Please mark these in your calendar NOW not later. Feb 25　(wed)　4 to 8  *come and leave anytime during from 4 to 8 pm for the cost of one class

March 1  (sun)*CANCELLED* due to a performance with Jason Moran and Alicia Hall Moran

March 4  (wed)　4 to 8  *come and leave anytime during from 4 to 8 pm for the cost of one class

March 8 (sun)　4 to 6 / 6 to 8  (student recital??  TBA)

March 11　(wed)　4 to 8  *come and leave anytime during from 4 to 8 pm for the cost of one class

March 15　(sun)　4 to 6 / 6 to 8

March 18 (wed)　4 to 8  *come and leave anytime during from 4 to 8 pm for the cost of one class

March 22 (sun)　4 to 6 / 6 to 8

March 25 (wed)　4 to 8  *come and leave anytime during from 4 to 8 pm for the cost of one class

March 29 (sun)　*CANCELLED*  performance at DROM with Adam Rudolph and VERY special guests

Kaoru Watanabe/ Adam Rudolph / very special SURPRISE GUESTS?! @DROM(Mar.29)

March 29Kaoru Watanabe/ Adam Rudolph / very special SURPRISE GUESTS?! @DROM

Matsuri Sawagi, a mosaic of music, dance, drink and merriment that embodies the multifaceted elements of the new Naka Naka series at Drom - featuring heavy grooves produced by taiko drums, middle eastern and African percussion, Japanese flute, song, dance and more.

$10 **In order to create a festive atmosphere and to encourage people to join in the spirit, anyone wearing kimono/yukata or other such Japanese garb will get in free!**

Kaoru Watanabe (Japanese and Western flutes, taiko drums) Adam Rudolph (percussion) Brahim Bribgane (percussion) Nahoko Sugiyama (belly dance) Kazumi Kitamura (belly dance) Lela Sayoko (belly dance) Rich Kameda (magician) PLUS Very Special Guests from Japan and beyond! The focus of the NakaNaka series will be on contemporary expression of Japanese music and culture by Japanese or by others inspired by the vibrant Japanese art scene. The goals of the series would be to: ●Showcase high quality performers in contemporary music, art, photography, dance, video and other art forms with an emphasis on Japanese expression. ●Foster a community feeling among Japanese and people interested in Japan - to hopefully encourage greater interaction and networking in an informal setting. ●Encourage greater interaction among the artists themselves through jam sessions and collaborative projects.

Naka Naka will explore collaborations involving jazz, experimental, pop and traditional music, dance, photography, live painting, the culinary arts and beyond and will present exciting shows on a regular basis, allowing DROM to become a hub of Japan themed multidisciplinary and multicultural conversations in downtown New York.

The series will be curated by musician Kaoru Watanabe, a former performing member and director of the internationally acclaimed Japanese taiko ensemble Kodo. He was the artistic director of Kodo’s world music festival Earth Celebration for several years before returning to New York.

@DROM 85 Avenue A, between 5th & 6th Streets $10 general admission www.dromnyc.com 212-777-1157

Taiko x2: On Ensemble and Kenny Endo(Mar 28)

March 28Taiko x2: On Ensemble and Kenny Endo

@Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts 12700 Center Court Drive, Cerritos CA

http://www.cerritoscenter.com/tickets/production.aspx?productionSeasonId=2574

New DROM Japan Series (Mar.12,26)

New DROM Japan Series (official title coming soon!)curated by Kaoru Watanabe

March 12 Opening event more info TBA mark your calendars!

March 26 curated by Kaoru Watanabe New DROM Japan Series more info TBA mark your calendars!

guest with Bonten - a taiko group from Japan(Mar.6)

March 6guest with Bonten - a taiko group from Japan 7 pm Cornell University in Bailey Hall $10 for student and faculty $20 for general public http://www.baileyhall.cornell.edu/

duets with vibraphonist Chris Dingman(Mar.5)

March 5duets with vibraphonist Chris Dingman @ Le Grand Dakar 285 Grand Ave (btw Clifton & Lafayette) Brooklyn, NY 11238 (718) 398-8900 http://www.legranddakar.com/

Live with Jason Moran / Alicia Hall Moran （March,1)

March 1Jason Moran / Alicia Hall Moran / guest Kaoru Watanabe 4 pm $25 adults $20 seniors $15 students First United Methodist Church 42 Cross Road Stamford, Connecticut (203) 324- 1323 http://www.fumcstamford.org

Live schedule in February ‘09

Please click the title to see for more information; special guest in THE TOKYO ZAGAN QUINTET(Feb. 28) 7:30pm (doors open 7pm) at DROM, NYC

“four” at Metabolic Studio(Feb 16&17) 8PM @ Metabolic Studio(Los Angeles, CA)

GO: ORGANIC ORCHESTRA(Feb 9,16,23) 8:30 PM @ Roulette(NYC)

special guest in THE TOKYO ZAGAN QUINTET(Feb. 28)

Diaspora Crossings presents:THE TOKYO ZAGAN QUINTET

Saturday Feb. 28, 2009, 7.30pm (doors open 7pm) at DROM 85 Avenue A, between 5th & 6th Streets $10 general admission www.dromnyc.com    Nobuko Miyazaki - flute & shinobue Bartosz Smoragiewicz - sax & clarinet Izabela Buchowska - cello Emi Inaba - piano Laiyo Nakahashi - taiko & drums with special guest: Kaoru Watanabe - shinobue & taiko (formerly of Kodo)

www.nobuflute.com (click on "Projects"), www.myspace.com/diasporacrossings for more info contact: nobuflute@gmail.com /  917-318-6915 A wailing jazz saxophone, thunderous taiko drums, and virtuoso piano meet; the singing cello intertwines with sweet bamboo flute.... Come hear the passions of traditions, and the festivities created when these musician-composers from very different backgrounds cross paths. The performance will be original compositions by Nobu, Bartosz, Laiyo, and Emi, and a few traditional pieces.

You can get tickets online here

Map:(Google map)

GO: ORGANIC ORCHESTRA(Feb 9,16,23)

This return engagement follows last November’s sold out performance series of Go: Organic Orchestra @ Roulette An Orchestral concept of world/improvisational music

In concert GO:  ORGANIC ORCHESTRA

Photo Credit: Danny Dawson

MUSIC COMPOSED AND CONDUCTED BY ADAM RUDOLPH

Mondays , FEBRUARY 9,16, 23, 2009 @ Roulette 20 Greene St. (between Canal and Grand) 2 blocks west of Broadway

8:30 PM $15 at the Door DTW members students, seniors: $10 Reservations: 212.219.8242 Roulette & Location One, members free www.roulette.org   www.location1.org

Performing artists:

Sylvain Leroux –Tambin Fulani Flute, C Flute Ze Luis – C flute, Bamboo Flute Michel Gentile – C and Alto Flute, Bamboo Flute Kaoru Watanabe – Noh Kan, Fue, C Flute Steve Gorn - Bansuri Flute, Hichiriki Pyotr Gazarov– C flute, Bamboo Flute

 Batya Sobel – Oboe Sara Schoenbeck – Bassoon, Sona Ned Rothenberg - Bass Clarinet, Shakuhachi Charles Waters – B flat Clarinet David Rothenberg - B flat Clarinet, Seljefløytes Avram Fefer - B flat Clarinet JD Parran  - Contra Alto Clarinet, Kalimbas   Graham Haynes – Cornet, Bamboo Horn Amir Elsaffar – Trumpet, Santoor, Bamboo Horn Stephen Haynes – Trumpet, Conch, Didjiridoo Steve Swell – Trombone, Bamboo Horn Peter Zummo – Trombone, Didjiridoo   Charles Burnham – Violin Sarah Bernstein – Violin Trina Basu – Violin Jason Hwang – Violin Melanie Dyer – Viola Stephanie Griffin – Viola Kirsten Jerme – Cello

Kenny Wessel – Electric Guitar, Banjo Leni Stern – Electric Guitar, Ngoni  Marco Cappelli - Acoustic Guitar

Brahim Fribgane – Oud and Percussion Harris Eisenstadt  – Drum Set, Kutero Jonathan Singer  – Tabla, Mridngam, Percussion Matt Kilmer  – Frame Drums, Percussion James Hurt  – Batajon, Percussion Chris Dingman – Vibraphone   Stuart Popejoy - Acoustic Bass Guitar Alex Marcelo – Acoustic Piano " I caught a performance Go: Organic Orchestra down in SoHo last spring and was swept away by what they were doing.  It was fascinating and ahead of its time, in the best possible way.  I loved every minute of it. "  - Marc Meyer, jazzwax.com

" I was fortunate to have attended two nights with Adam Rudolph's Go: Organic Orchestra at Roulette a few months back  and was blown away by Adam's distinctive blend of  jazz and world music as well as his conducting."   - Bruce Lee Gallanter - Downtown Music Gallery "The music, performed by a large ensemble of wind and percussion players, rose like vines from hand drummer Adam Rudolph's written instructions and hand signals. And it truly is organic -- a blend of gentle sustained dissonance, heaven-crashing rhythm jams, and individual improvisations. No joke: a startling and involving development in roots music, with more to follow."   - Greg Burk, LA Weekly

More info: http://www.metarecords.com/go.html About Go: Organic Orchestra:

Unique in the realm of approaches to improvisational conducting, Go: Organic Orchestra utilizes a composed non-linear score consisting of sound and motion elements. These include tone rows, synthetic scales, melodies, linguistic shapes, intervallic patterns, textural gestures, modes, ragas, maqams, and plainchant. The score serves to provide material for both the improvisations and the orchestrations. Motion and forms and are generated through the application of the composer’s rhythm concept “Cyclic Verticalism” whereby polymeters are combined with additive rhythm cycles.

In concert, the composer conducts the musicians in a spontaneous way by using a variety of hand signals to cue and orchestrate the score and direct the improvisations. He seeks to generate unusual relationships of sound against sound, form against form, and rhythm against rhythm in a non-linear, ever shifting kaleidoscope of music images:  weaving an “audio syncretic music fabric”.

The music is “organic” in the sense that the compositions and conducting serve as inspiration and context for the musicians to express themselves in the moment by using their instruments as an amplifier for their inner voice. Through listening and imagination the conductor and performers inspire one another to create emotional colorations of sound.

Rather than the score being a set of instructions of what, how and when to play, the non-linear semiotic (symbols) of the written music are an invitation to discover the potentialities of what can happen when transformed into syntax as expressed through the hands and breath of a group of virtuosic, imaginative, and soulful improvisers.

"four" at Metabolic Studio(Feb 16&17)

Metabolic Studio [Farmlab + Chora + AMI] and Body Weather Laboratory present four　-Music and Dance Improvisation-

Tatsuya Nakatani (Percussion), Michel Doneda (Saxophone) Kaoru Watanabe (Flute) and Oguri (Dance)

Monday, February 16 & Tuesday, 17 2009 8:00pm    Metabolic Studio [Farmlab + Chora + AMI] 1745 North Spring Street, Los Angeles CA 90012

Admission: $15 Children, under 16 free Information: Metabolic Studio 323-226-1158 http://farmlab.org/index.html

Body Weather Laboratory and the Metabolic Studio [Farmlab + Chora + AMI] are pleased to announce the return of Tatsuya Nakatani (percussion) and Oguri (dance) with four Music and Dance Improvisations. This year’s show also features internationally acclaimed musicians form Japan and France Kaoru Watanabe (flute) and Michel Doneda (saxophone). Performances take place Monday, February 16, 8:00 pm and Tuesday, February 17, 8:00 pm at the Metabolic Studio [Farmlab + Chora + AMI] 1745 North Spring Street, Los Angeles CA 90012.  General admission is $15, and Children under 16 free.

Tatsuya Nakatani : http://hhproduction.org/i-2.html Michel Doneda  : http://puffskydd.free.fr/neda/ Kaoru Watanabe : http://www.watanabekaoru.com/ Oguri : http://www.lightningshadow.com/

Me and poutin ~from Montreal

I am performing with two wonderful musicians in Montreal this week, percussionist Patrick Graham and hurdy gurdy player Ben Grossman as well as dancer Tomomi Morimoto.  This concert, presented by MAI, an international arts institution here in Montreal and celebrates the release of Patrick's new album Rheo: "Rheō is the Greek term ῥέω, meaning  to flow. Rheō is the root of the word rhythm. Rheō is a new music project, a cross-cultural and multi-faceted exploration of rhythm.

For the Rheō project, I will be joined by vielle à roue player Ben Grossman (Guelph, ON) and Japanese and western flutistKaoru Watanabe (New York), as well as special guest, contemporary dancer Tomomi Morimoto(Montreal). Rheō will feature new, genre-bending solos, duos and trios, live electronics, and improvisation in a performance that explores the flow of pulse and sound, movement and colour, and the constant flow between cultures." Please visit his website http://www.patrickgrahampercussion.com/ SO, my new friend Ben Grossman took it upon himself to introduce me to the Quebec comfort food, poutine, basically fries with cheese curd and gravy.  The people at the store, in describing it to me, said it was a heart attack in a basket.  Ben had the foresight to take before and after pictures.  See results below.

Poutine, my new favorite food as long as I hold it to once every three or four years...

Jan 9th Bella Gaia Ensemble short performance at DROM

JAN 9 (Sat) ENSEMBLE – NEW YORK CITYKENJI WILLIAMS: BELLA GAIA Ensemble (30min) 7pm, @ Drom NYC (Details Below)

Saturday 9th January 2010 Drom, 85 Ave A (b/w 5th & 6th). Lower East Side, NYC Tel.: (212) 777 1157 www.dromnyc.com 6:00PM Doors open Entry $10 in advance, $15 at the door Free entry with APAP badge

KENJI WILLIAMS – BELLA GAIA 7:00PM (Short 30min show)

A special 30min performance of Bella Gaia (”Beautiful Earth”), a poetic vision of Earth from outer space. A multimedia journey of our world by award-winning director and violinist Kenji Williams, in collaboration with NASA. Bella Gaia features live performances of world music artists against a large-screen background of orbiting visualizations of Earth from space. Guest Artists: Kaoru Watanabe Lale Sayoko More TBA…

Live schedule in January '09

Please click the title to see for more information; DanceConversations@TheFlea(Jan.6) 7pm@THE FLEA THEATER, NYC

Urban Tap Jam with Tamango and Friends(Jan.8) 8pm@DROM, NYC

Kaoru fue and taiko lecture/performance(Jan.15) @Kinokuniya Books, NYC 5 pm reception 6 to 7pm fue and taiko performance

On Ensemble with Kaoru Watanabe(Jan.16) 8pm@DROM, NYC

Kaoru in Montreal (Jan.22+24) 8pm@MAI, Montréal, QC

Kaoru in Montreal (Jan.22+24)

January 22th and 24th 8pm

A concert project featuring percussionist Patrick Graham and special guests Ben Grossman (hurdy-gurdy & electronics), Kaoru Watanabe  (fue & flute) and Tomomi Morimoto (contemporary dance).

Presented by the MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels) 3680 Jeanne-Mance , Montréal, QC Info: (514) 982-3386 ticket: click here

www.patrickgrahampercussion.com www.myspace.com/patrickgrahampercussion/

Please see "Photos" page to see live images.

DanceConversations@TheFlea(Jan.6)

DanceConversationsWORKS IN PROGRESS  + DISCUSSION  @ TheFlea   Curated byNINA WINTHROP Moderated byDEAN MOSS Assistant Curator,Taimi Strehlow   Tuesday, January 6 at 7pm   FREE ADMISSION   Featuring the work of:    T. Lang Lee & Wang Dance Amos Pinhasi Mayuna Shimizu

THE FLEA THEATER 41 White Street (between Broadway & Church Street) New York City DIRECTIONS: N/R/Q/W/6/J/Z/A/C/E to Canal Street, 1 to Franklin Street (White Street is 3 blocks south of Canal Street)   Further information is available at: www.theflea.org www.NinaWinthropandDancers.org     Produced By The Flea Theater Jim Simpson, Artistic Director; Carol Ostrow, Producing Director     Administered by Nina Winthrop and Dancers Managing Director: Taimi Strehlow Contact:  tstrehlow@NinaWinthropandDancers.org

Taiko Center recital concert report

On Dec the 21st, 2008, the Kaoru Watanabe Taiko Center had the first of what will be a biannual fundraising/student recital/ concert event at the Village@Gureje in Brooklyn, where the taiko classes themselves take place.  My hope for the event was, besides raising funds and awareness for the taiko center, to celebrate community and friendship through music, food and (plenty of) alcohol.  Many students and friends cooked and donated drinks, party supplies, time and energy and musical talent.  Volunteers were busy checking coats, shoes (no shoes allowed), serving drinks, selling raffle tickets, CDs, making sure the food was all eaten.  When we entered the space that day to set up,  we found five leaks in the ceiling caused by the melting ice and snow accumulated on the roof.  We bought potted plants and strategically placing them under the leaks and ended up with a nice indoor garden, replete with waterfalls and murmuring streams as part of the stage. I spent about an hour demonstrating how and what I teach and had my students and random members of the audience helping out.  The second part of the program opened with a shakuhachi solo performed by Marco Leinhard from Ondekoza and was followed Nobuko Miyazaki and I playing a fue composition, Elaine Wang and I doing a dance/fue piece, and tap dancer Tamango and myself improvising.  Finally we had a special guest, Will Calhoun from Living Colour perform a solo which grew into a session featuring Tamango, Gureje's owner Jimi and myself.  Both the artists and the audience really seemed to enjoy themselves and many of us were dancing and drinking into the early morning.

The idea is to do events like this twice a year, bringing more guests each time, ever increasing the scale and scope of the event.  As the performance level of the students improves, we can push to perform harder and harder pieces, we will bring in more guest performers and continue to expand on this community of lovers of taiko and beyond.

Please visit photographer Lia Chang's website to see her perspective of the event:

http://liachang.wordpress.com/2008/12/22/will-calhoun-tamango-elaine-wang-and-marco-lienhardt-celebrate-winter-solstice-with-the-kaoru-watanabe-taiko-center-by-lia-chang/

to see photo album of the recital concert, go to "Photos" page.