August 3rd Samble@Joe's Pub- Benefit for Haiti

Sanble(Haitian Creole word meaning - to gather) An evening of Afro-Caribbean rhythms and dance with a distinctly global flavor.

Featuring: Sheila Anozier (Haiti) -- dance & vocals Belinda Becker (Jamaica) -- dance & vocals Swiss Chris (Switzerland) -- drums/cymbals & samples Kaoru Watanabe (Japan) -- western flute & taiko drums Jr. "Gabu" Wedderburn (Jamaica) -- nyabinghi akete & kumina drums

Special Guest: Rufus Cappadocia -- cello Pat Hall -- vocals Marquerite Hamden -- vocals Pam Patrick -- vocals Dub Select Horns of Mobius Collective

Please join us at: Joe's Pub 425 Lafayette Street www.joespub.com

Tuesday, August 3rd 9:30 p.m. $20

All proceeds from the performance go to Christ Love Center in Jacmel, Haiti.

About the center: Christ Love Center was founded in Jacmel, Haiti by Bonite Affriany, a 72 year old retired nurse, in 2002. The center provides meals for over 200 children through Bonite's 6 day a week feeding program. Often that meal is their only meal of the day. The center also provides clothing, medical attention, and emergency needs, and since the earthquake, tents have been posted onsite. But Bonite's work extends beyond the center and the feeding program. She funds some of the children's education, and provides them with tutoring at the center after school. Apart from the center, Bonite has also set up small micro loans to help develop self-sustaining communities, and is currently working on plans to build homes for 18 families.

Myrlande Affriany, Bonite's daughter, founded a medical organization called Angel Wings International (angelwingsinternational.org) in 2007, which not only provides an onsite medical clinic at the center, but brings medical teams every month to Jacmel and surrounding villages. The two are currently working on building a much needed hospital in Jacmel.

July 29th Worldwide Plaza- RAINDATE: July 30th

My apologies to those who came out but due to rain todays performance has been moved to tomorrow- same time, same place. Hope to see you there!

12 Noon Worldwide Plaza 825 Eighth Avenue FREE

I will be performing with my ensemble featuring Deep Singh (tabla), Yumi Kurosawa (20 string koto) and Barbara Merjan (taiko, percussion). Traditional, contemporary and original music.

August 14th "An Evening w/Semba: Flute Friend from NY Session!"

For all my friends in Tokyo, I'll be in Koenji on August 14th with the master percussionist Kiyohiko Semba and many of Japan's greatest improvisors- Sakata Akira, Mitsuhide Takumi, Takahashi Kaori, etc! 仙夜一夜 フルートのフレンド、フロームＮＹセッション！ （♪3200） 渡辺薫fl.竹笛．太鼓 仙波清彦perc 坂田明sax 高橋香織vln 辰巳光英tp 吉森信pf 不破大輔b

東京都杉並区高円寺北2-3-4高円寺ビルB1 Tel&Fax 03-3339-2727

August 7th Solo performance in Philadelphia

Summer Concert with Dinner at Shofuso 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Location Shofuso, Japanese House and Garden 5070 Parkside Avenue, Suite 2104, Philadelphia, PA 19131 Member - $60.00 Non-Member - $80.00 Phone: (215) 878-5097 Email: info@shofuso.com http://www.shofuso.com/?page_id=15 http://www.shofuso.com/

July 25th Festival of Colors- Final Fete!

The culmination of the Festival of Colors this Sunday! Mini workshops on fabric-dyeing, tap dance, figure drawing, African dance, plus mini performances of all of the above plus some great taiko playing all day for FREE. Vendors will be selling food, arts and crafts while there will be plenty of activities for kids.  Enjoy the beautiful indoor/outdoor space at Gureje!

1 to 5 pm on Sunday

July 16th OnnaTaiko(2)

TONIGHT, as part of Festival of Colors, we will have the Onna Taiko Concert, featuring my students and myself as well as a master of the ICHIGENKIN (one string koto) Issui Minegishi.  Please come and visit a newly beautified Gureje and hear some great music in this setting.

Festival of Colors 2010

festivalofcolorsnyc.blogspot.com

The 2010 Festival of Colors is a month-long celebration of that which nourishes and sustains our creative bodies and spirits. Through various workshops, performances and communal events, the festival serves to inspire and reveal the vibrant nature of our neighborhood.

Included among this year's events are workshops in dance, fabric dyeing/textile design and Japanese taiko drumming. By collaborating with various local businesses, vendors and community members, we will also provide exciting events throughout the month: a farmers market, movie night, musical performances and neighborhood beautification project and more!

The Festival of Colors still has room to accommodate any new artists or vendors who may be interested in participating in July. We are looking to support emerging artists as well as looking for organizations or individuals who may be interested in selling items during our Final Fête, which will be taking place on July 25, 2010. Because we are also supportive of community endeavors, we are also open to organizations in the surrounding community that may be interested in tabling at the event. Also, if you are an educator or artist who may be interested in facilitating an activity (i.e. arts and crafts for kids, poetry workshops, open-mic), please know that we are open to your ideas. We want to fill July with many events that our communities can tap into.

Sat 19th Nakanaka: On Ensemble&Yuka

My good friends from On Ensemble- well, at least two of them anyway, will be in NY in a few weeks.  My good friend from Sado Japan, singer Yuka Yamamoto will be on hand as well to serenade us with her lovely voice and beautiful tunes.  With contributions from the great Barbara Merjan and Shanir Blumenkranz as well. Please join us!

June 3-4 Tamango's Caravane at Le Volcan in Normandy France

MEZZO TV & LA BELLEVILLOISE PRESENTENT MERCREDI 9 JUIN dès 21H

MEZZO TV Jazz Mix Step feat. Urban Tap (NYC) & friends Venez participer à un film mêlant danse, live Jazz, performance, VJ’s & Dj’s en compagnie du collectif de NYC, « Urban Tap » dirigé par son charismatique leader Tamango.

Plus de 15 artistes internationaux :

Tamango (France / Usa) – MC, Tap dance ; « Naj » Jean de Boysson (France) – VJ ; David Murray (Usa) – Saxophone ; Walid Bouhmani (France) - Dance Poppin' ; Kaoru Watanabe (Japan / Usa)  - Flute japonaise, Taiko ; Antoinette Gomis (France) – Dance freestyle ; Mossim Hussain Kawa (Inde) – Tablas ; Didier Firmin ( France) - House dance ; Kenny Muhammad (Usa) – Beat Box ; Yä-Hui (Chine) – Danse Barata natyam ;Daniel Moreno (Usa) – Percussions ; Roxanne Butterfly (France / Usa) – Tap Dance ; Nuru Kane (Senegal) – Guembri ;  Cheick Tidiane Seck (Mali / France) – Keys ; DJ Nickodemus (Usa) – DJ

… mis en scène sur deux espaces pour des rencontres improbables ! Improvisation, rythme, technique, création seront au rendez vous de ce projet inédit !

LA BELLEVILLOISE – 21 rue Boyer – 75020 PARIS M° Gambetta www.labellevilloise.com

Entrée sur invitation à demander à l'adresse mezzotv@labellevilloise.com A retirer directement à La Bellevilloise

URBAN TAP :

May 28th with On Ensemble in Tacoma

I'll be performing with my good friends On Ensemble in Seattle next week.  

If you are in the Seattle/Tacoma please come out and help spread the word!

where: Rialto Theater at the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts. when: May 28th 7:30pm Tickets are $24 and $39 and can be purchased online at the Broadway Center’s website. http://www.broadwaycenter.org/season/showDetails.asp?key=23

Nakanaka: BOMB SUN Sat, May 20th

Nakanaka presents: an evening of experimental music feat: WATER BRAIN Fumio Tashiro, a.k.a. “Bomb Sun” plays electric upright bass and creates original musical compositions. He has 15 years experience writing, touring, and performing music. As a student of the upright bass, Bomb Sun studied under his mentor Milt Hinton, and so, has a solid background in jazz and experimental improvisation. His newest compositions blend this background with a digital approach producing a unique and broad spectrum of sound. He is originally from Japan and currently resides in Brooklyn. Michael Wilson is an emergent experimental improviser. He uses a sampler and a combination of small acoustic instruments and vocal patterns to create unique fields of sound. He is originally from Los Angeles and currently resides in Brooklyn.

ALSO, my good friend Ty Citerman, of Gutbucket fame will be joining us as well!

DROM 85 Ave A 212-777-1157

Brainstorm! May 6th

Brainstorm! 2010 SeriesEarned Income for Artists: Teaching May 6, 2010, 6:30pm

Join us on May 6th, 2010, 6:30pm for "Teaching", the Asian American Arts Alliance's second event in its Brainstorm! series of lively discussions about strategies for artists to earn revenue. Co-produced with Queens Council on the Arts and New York Foundation for the Arts.

"Teaching", features the case study of Kaoru Watanabe, musician and founder of the Kaoru Watanabe Taiko Center. Come hear Kaoru talk about how he integrates teaching into his career to support himself, as he receives feedback from discussants Kamala Cesar, founder of Lotus Music and Dance, Alice Mizrachi, artist, educator and co-founder of the Younity Arts Collective, and Michelle Rae Pinzon, executive director of the Capoeira Center of New York.

Learn from peers, lend your voice, and be inspired! Details: What: Brainstorm! Teaching When: May 6, 2010, 6:30pm Where: Frank Sinatra School of the Arts High School, 35-12 35th Avenue, Long Island City, Queens, 11106 (N, W train to 36th ave, R, V train to 36th St) Fee: Free!

Friday April 30, NAKANAKA: OnnaTaiko!

Onna Taiko! A Celebration of Women Taiko Players

featuring Carrie Carter, Barbara Merjan, Yumiko, members of Taiko Aikokai and many more!

Drom 85 Ave A (btwn 5th&6th) New York 212-777-1157

Monday April 26th, duets with Ty Citerman

My good friend and guitarist Ty (of Gutbucket) and I will be doing some duets at ZEBULON in Williamsburg. Please come by, have a drink and check out some great music for FREE.

A band before us starts around 9pm so we start around 10:30? 11? zebuloncafeconcert.com 258 Wythe Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11211-3914 (718) 218-6934

Friday, April 16th Chelsea Art Museum performance

April 9th, 2010 NAKANAKA: KabukiFunk!

I'm very excited about the next Nakanaka installment- the jazz phenomenon Charlie Hunter will be joining Tamango and I at Drom for an evening of music, dance and art. Please come and join us for this special event! DROM 85 Ave A $10 9 to 11 pm

letter from Los Angeles

Greetings from LA. I'm here for performances with taiko master Kenny Endo. We did a set at a Gala Ceremony celebrating LA's Japanese American Community Cultural Center's 30th year. We shared the stage with Keiko Matsui, 5 time GRAMMY award winning Daniel Ho and the first African American enka singer, named JERO. We opened the evening, Kenny and I playing stark Noh music with two 10' high targets suspended behind us. As we played, the targets turned turned sideways. Kyudo archers then shot arrows from the wings of one side of the stage, through the two targets and into a net in the other wings. The sound of the arrows piercing the thick painted sheets of paper in two quick successive hits, created an abstract rhythm that blended with the music Kenny and I were playing. This Sat, Kenny will be celebrating his 35 years of playing taiko with a large concert in the same venue. We will be joined by Kinnara Daiko, the oldest taiko group in the US, On Ensemble, June Kuramoto of Hiroshima and the pipa virtuoso Wu Man. Please tell your friends and family in LA to come celebrate with us!

March performances

This March, I will spending two weeks in Hawaii performing with the great Kenny Endo and the genius percussionist Kiyohiko Senba. I will be back and forth from NY and LA the second half of March going into April. Hope to see you out there. Below is a listing of where I'll be, scroll down for more details.

• March 6th with Kenny Endo and Kiyohiko Senba (Maui)

• March 13 with Kenny Endo and Kiyohiko Senba (Honolulu)

• March 15 and 22 with Adam Rudolph's Go: Organic Orchestra (NYC)

• March 19 NakaNaka: Breathing Over Space and Time@Drom (NYC)

• March 21 Kaoru Watanabe|Deep Singh|Yumi Kurosawa@AMNH (NYC)

• March 18 Ortine Cafe with Sarah Bernstein and Stuart Popejoy

• March 30 JACCC 30th Anniversary Gala Event (LA)

• April 03 Kenny Endo and Friends In Concert (LA)

Sat, April 03, 2010 Kenny Endo and Friends In Concert

8:00 PMAratani/Japan America Theatre 244 South San Pedro Street Los Angeles, CA 90012 Phone: (213) 680-3700 Website: jaccc.org E-Mail: jatevents@jaccc.org Map & Directions

World-renowned taiko artist and Los Angeles native Kenny Endo returns to his hometown to celebrate his 35th anniversary of uniquely innovative and masterful performance. Globally recognized and highly regarded for his spirited contemporary works and his engaging and colorful entravaganza showcasing Kenny's unique blend of taiko fusion combining Japanese classical drumming with world music and jazz. Featuring Kinnara Taiko, one of the first and most influential taiko groups in North America, On Ensemble, contemporary taiko quartet, Kaoru Watanabe (Japanese and western flutes, taiko), and Abe Lagrimas, Jr. (vibraphones, drum set, ukulele) and other guests! As part of this special commemorative concert, Kenny will be debuting a brand new composition. Don't miss this opportunity to experience superior taiko and world music!

Reserved Seating, Tickets: $35 Orchestra, $30 JACCC Balcony (Service fee applicable) $32.50 Orchestra, $27.50 Balcony - Group+10 (Service fee applicable) $30 Orchestra, $25 - JACCC Member (Service fee applicable) No Exchanges or Refunds

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Tues, March 30 JACCC 30th Anniversary Gala Event

7 pmAratani/Japan America Theatre 244 South San Pedro Street Los Angeles, CA 90012 Phone: (213) 680-3700 Website: jaccc.org E-Mail: jatevents@jaccc.org