Taiko Project Drummers to perform Oct.15

Taiko Project Drummers Masato Baba , Keiko Harada, Jenny Mimura, Yumi Saito, Doug Sakamoto and Audrey Tu will appear on stage at the Omak PAC at 3:00 pm on October 15.

The TAIKO PROJECT was founded in 2000 in Los Angeles, California by a group of young, emerging taiko drummers. They were seeking to create a truly American style of taiko, blending traditional forms in which they were raised, with an innovative and fresh aesthetic approach to the Japanese drum. Over the past 17 years, they have garnered critical acclaim from all over the world and amassed an impressive resume.

TAIKOPROJECT became the first American taiko group to win the prestigious Tokyo International Taiko Contest in 2005, beating out all the Japanese taiko groups in attendance. They have performed at the Academy Awards, The Grammy Awards, on Jimmy Kimmel Live, X-Factor, and have performed with Stevie Wonder, Usher, Alicia Keys, A.R. Rahman, John Legend, Kanye West, Sean Paul and others.

Many of the compositions they will perform were composed by Executive Director Bryan Yamami and Artistic Director Masato Baba with choreography by member Yumi Saito. One of their main goals is to expand the boundaries of taiko performance as well as the vocabulary of taiko drumming. Most taiko songs are taught through kuchi shoga, vocalizing the rhythms and then playing them on the drum. Blending hip hop rhythms and movements with taiko has become one of their signature compositions.

Tickets are $10.00 for students and $15.00 for adults. They are available at Rawson's in Okanogan, Kelley Imaging in downtown Omak, Tonasket Interiors, Oroville Pharmacy and online at www.omakpac.org.