The Daily Times, Kodo members strive to become one with the drum >>
They arise every morning at 4 a.m. to run 10 kilometers, regardless of the weather.
In driving rain, through heavy snow, sucking in gulps of icy air or struggling for breath through thick and muggy summer heat, they run. Not for glory or reward, but to become one with the land.
They are the aspiring members of Kodo, a troupe of artists who perform the traditional Japanese style of drumming known as taiko. They call Sado Island, off the coast of mainland Japan, home, and their art form carries the weight of history and tradition that is intrinsic to Japanese culture.
"The island is quite remote from the main island of Japan, and the people mostly live a communal life there," Jun Akimoto, a member of Kodo for nine years, told The Daily Times this week. "Nature is very tough on Sado Island, but it is a very rich place in the springtime and in the autumn time. We have learned a lot from those elements and circumstances, and that is why those who start Kodo must run. By doing so, they receive something from the earth, something from nature, and that affects a lot of our actual performance."
In Japanese, the word "Kodo" carries two meanings -- "heartbeat," which refers to the primal source of rhythm that taiko drumming evokes, and "children of the drum" -- a term that can both describe the members of Kodo and the way in which they perform, with childlike abandon and enthusiasm.
The group debuted in 1981, centered on Sado Island but touring around the world. The members have performed on five continents, but Saturday's performance marks the first time Kodo has come to East Tennessee, said Akimoto. Those who turn out expecting a powerful and bombastic percussive performance will have their expectations met, he added, but the group incorporates so much more that it's likely those expectations will be exceeded.
"The flyers, the poster on the Web site, the photos -- they make people expect a very energetic and powerful and physically demanding performance," he said. "This is our typical image, and truly, that's what we do. On the other hand, people get to see the other variety of expression by Kodo performers. We sing, we use flutes and stringed instruments, and we also dance.
"The costumes are quite diverse, from loincloths on the men to beautiful female dancers in kimono uniforms. The audience will get to see very different kinds of pieces in the program. We don't use any speakers or microphones, because we want there to be a direct vibration from the drum skin to their bodies. People will not only hear it from their ears but mainly in their bodies.
"That's our intention," he added. "We want to surround every member of the audience with the sound of live drums."
Visually, it's a primal and powerful work of art -- the rumble of the drums bouncing throughout every corner of the venue, the elegant steps of the dancers and performers, the sense of spirituality that Kodo evokes. That's an intentional thing, Akimoto said, because taiko was originally a spiritual form of drumming.
"Taiko has a long history as a ritual tool of Buddhism and Shintoism, but a very short history as a musical instrument," he said. "It was invented as a ritual tool and came to Japan from China in the 7th century together with Buddhism. It was used as a communication tool between communities, and between the community and God.
"After World War II, the founder of Kodo decided to use this old tool and incorporate it into the performing arts. In Kodo, we learn local performing arts from different regions in Japan, and if you go to local villages or town to learn those performing arts, you learn not just the instruments played there, but the ritual and ceremony itself. And if you have those things in your mind -- if you're connected to nature and thinking about your community or your village life -- those are some of the meanings of playing taiko in Kodo. It's not only physical, but spiritual."
For its "One Earth" tour, the members of Kodo hope to both showcase and re-interpret traditional Japanese performing arts. Akimoto himself serves as both manager and interpreter of the group, and while Kodo requires its performing drummers to acquire professional skills in order to represent the group on stage, he said it's an art form steeped in simplicity.
"We try to bring every people together with the sound of taiko, and that's the meaning behind the One Earth tour," he said. "When I first started with Kodo, I felt something more than music and more than drumming. I felt something very unique in terms of a human being, and that was the starting point for me.
"It's a very wide-open instrument, and you don't have to be good at drumming to enjoy it. You can try it out and explore everything to the beat."
-- Steve Wildsmith 02/26/09 >> go there
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