Kaoru Watanabe – Japanese and Western flutes and Japanese taiko drums

Born in July 3rd, 1975 to St. Louis Symphony musician parents.  Started playing classical flute and taiko (Japanese drum) in early middle school.  Graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan before moving to New York to study Jazz Performance at the Manhattan School of Music.  Performed and recorded with Stefon Harris and Jason Moran on Blue Note Records, among others.  Was a member of New York’s Soh Daiko, the East Coast’s oldest and most respected taiko group.

Moved to Japan after graduation in order to learn Japanese, to try to get to know his Grandparents and other relatives better and to study Japanese music.  In Tokyo studied Noh Kan (flute used in Noh and Kabuki theater) with Hiroyuki Matsuda, and the fue (bamboo flute) music of Edo Matsuri Bayashi with Kiyosuke Kobayashi.  Moved to Sado Island in 1998 to become an apprentice with the drumming ensemble Kodo.  As an apprentice, spent the next two years learning taiko, various traditional folk dances, singing, tea ceremony, Noh, and Kyogen, growing rice and other vegetables, and waking up before sunrise to run 6 miles every morning.
After finishing the apprenticeship, became a performing member of Kodo, drumming, dancing and singing, but primarily as a fue player.  With Kodo, traveled the world, even performing original compositions on stage at Carnegie Hall with Mom in the audience.  In 2005 became Artistic Director of Earth Celebration, Kodo’s annual world music festival held in Sado every summer.
Left Kodo in September of 2006 and has moved back to New York City to continue making music on the fue, flute and taiko in a variety of settings as well as teaching workshops, private lessons and his school.  Still maintains close communication with Kodo and occasional works in collaboration with Kodo members both past and present.  Spends a good deal of time in both the US and Japan, continuing his studies and performing.

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Kaoru Watanabe: a rare musician who traverses the traditional music forms both East and West, classical and contemporary, predetermined and improvisational.  His expertise in taiko drumming  and bamboo  flutes gives his music  both force with exteme delicacy. His superb musicianship makes him a joy to create with. He enriches any musical situation  with his unique perspective.
— Jason Moran (Jazz Pianist, Blue Note Recording Artist)

Kaoru’s fue performances, compositions, and teachings bring this ancient sound directly into our modern world with clarity and relevance,  His background in jazz and improvisational music further extend his range of expression and musical depth.
Kaoru’s taiko performances are exciting and impressive.  He utilizes a philosophy which stresses engaging and relaxing the entire body with maximum power and resonance.
Kaoru is reinventing the tradition and pushing the edge of innovation- all within one deep breath and one clear sound.
— Kenny Endo  (leading taiko artists)

Kaoru was one of the principal artists at Town Hall Seattle’s 2008 project, “Japan in America.” He is an extraordinary young musician, equally adept on traditional Japanese fue (flutes), contemporary Western flute, and taiko  — Japanese drums. Our project was a unique one, and Kaoru’s keen intelligence, good humor, collaborative skills and stage savvy helped in the development and rehearsals for the project’s major concert and its educational and community programs. He was a great pleasure to work with throughout, and I recommend him without hesitation to those who seek a gifted artist with these skills.
—- Spider Kedelsky (Producer, Town Hall Seattle’s Global Rhythms Series)