Elite Japanese folk group Kodo will perform on thunderous drums Monday, at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts.
The troupe is based on a remote island in the Sea of Japan, and tours North America and Europe for a few months each year. Over the past 30 years, Kodo has performed more than 3,300 times and visited cities in nearly 50 countries, ranging from town theaters in Croatia to Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Performers between ages 20 and 60 play on more than two dozen drums, ranging from lighter than 10 pounds to 900. The show incorporates flutes and string instruments, along with singing and dancing.
The Republic recently spoke with Kodo member Jun Akimoto, 40, about the show.
Question: What can people expect to see?
Answer: The younger members are showing their own new compositions. The female members are really enthusiastic with their own new arrangements. Kodo is known for physical strength, masculine drumming. It's important to see the female drumming, not only strong but elegant. The three younger females are trying to give a different perception to drumming. One of the younger members, Kenta Nakagome, 25, will be debuting the biggest drum, weighing 900 pounds. Only three people in the group's history have performed on it. It's a big change, and Kodo is excited to have him on the stage for the first time.
Q: Why is drumming important in Japanese culture?
A: In general, you can find at least one drum in each society. The Japanese drum is always connected with community. It was originally imported from China with Buddhism in the seventh century. It was used in Buddhist ceremonies and was not regarded as a musical instrument. Buddhism synched with Shintoism, so people incorporated the drum into their local philosophy. It became symbolic with elements in the community, and was played during community rituals.
Q: How does Kodo reflect that tradition in its shows?
A: We try to connect each community with one string. That's the concept we carried under tour name, "One Earth." The Japanese drum has magical power, not in terms of the strength of sound and rhythms, but the background that drums connected community. They also connect people and nature, and people and gods.
Q: How do you develop new songs?
A: We have learned from many different local communities in Japan. Kodo is kind of a new generation. Most members come from urban cities like Tokyo or Osaka. Most of the original members felt kind of disconnected from traditional Japanese culture. People in 1950s-60s felt an urgent need to bring back the culture that was almost forgotten. Our founder felt this was an important mission to reinterpret Japanese folk culture. So we make arrangements without losing its core to attract people living in urban areas and to introduce it to a world market.
