Kaoru Watanabe, one of the most innovative performers on Japanese shinobue flutes and taiko drums, presents music from his new album Néo. He seamlessly combines traditional ritual and theater musics of Japan with the complex compositional and improvisational elements of jazz and other western musics.

Watanabe will be joined for this project by Yuta Sumiyoshi, one of the young featured stars of the iconic Taiko Performing Arts Ensemble Kodo and Fumi Tanakadate, a multifaceted musician based in New York City.

UPDATE: This concert will feature some fearless New York improvisers including Gamin on piri, taepyeongso and saengwhang and Shoko Nagai on keyboards.

“Néo is so ethereal that words to describe it skip like a breeze on water. It encompasses time and space from a culture that remains elusive and exotic, yet is audibly accessible in this presentation.” – All About Jazz

Cover: $20

Photo credit: Yuki Kokubo