Eight More Days

Since people keep asking me, I'm backing up...

From Friday 9/22, I will be on tour with San Jose Taiko on their "Rhythm Journey." There are going to be 8 performers out at any one time, but some people will be flying in and out. I'm out the whole time since I have "availability" (I don't have a "real job"). SJT doesn't have extra crew members, we are the crew. We will be driving from city to city - one truck for drums and equipment and one passenger van, I think.

Here is the tour schedule:

September 24
Lebanon Opera House
Time: 2:00PM
Lebanon, NH
For more information: www.lebanonoperahouse.org
603-448-0400

September 29
Wesleyan University Center for the Arts: Crowell Concert Hall
Time: 8:00PM
Middletown, CT
For more information: www.wesleyan.edu/cfa
860-685-3355

October 10
Philharmonic Center for the Arts: Hayes Hall
Time: 8:00PM
Naples, FL
For more information: www.thephil.org
800-597-1900

October 14
Ruth Eckerd Hall
Time: 10:30AM
Clearwater, FL
For more information: www.rutheckerdhall.com
800-875-8682

October 16
Clemson University: Robert Howell Brooks Center
Time: 7:00PM
Clemson, SC
For more information: www.clemson.edu/Brooks
864-656-7787

October 20
The Florida Theatre
Time: 8:00PM
Jacksonville, FL
For more information: www.floridatheatre.com
904-355-2787

October 22
University of South Carolina Beaufort: Performing Arts Center
Time: 8:00PM
Beaufort, SC
For more information: www.uscb.edu/a/Connections/Beaufort_Performing_Arts_Inc
843-525-4145

October 26
North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center
Time: 7:30PM
Charlotte, NC
For more information: www.blumenthalcenter.org
704-372-1000

October 29
Iowa State Center: Stephens Auditorium
Time: 3:00PM
Ames, IA
For more information: www.center.iastate.edu
877-843-2368

November 1
Eau Claire Regional Arts Center
Time: 7:30PM
Eau Claire, WI
For more information: www.eauclairearts.com
715-832-2787

November 3 - November 5
Indianapolis International Festival
Time: TBA
Indianapolis, IN
For more information: www.indyinternationalfestival.org
317-236-6515

November 14
Owens Community College: Center for Fine and Performing Arts
Time: 7:30PM
Toledo, OH
For more information: www.owens.edu/arts
567-661-2787

November 18
Omaha Performing Arts: Orpheum Theatre
Time: 8:00PM
Omaha, NE
For more information: www.omahaperformingarts.org
402-345-0606

My body is aching today after playing Oedo drills all last night. I'm still struggling with putting a solo together, but know I can turn it "on" in a performance. There is something about having an audience and the energy there that seems to help pull me out of my head. During practice it sometimes feels like the mentors are there to "look for bad things" in our form. I know it's to help me get better but I get stuck in the requirements (like making sure I'm not standing too close to the drums, playing both right and left drums equally, making big arm extensions, not repeating patterns, coming up with something "new"...) That makes it hard to "play with abandon"! But I'm working on it...

Practice, practice, practice.

In other news, check this out!

http://homepage.mac.com/lunarparcel/.Movies/Minna%20De%20Odoro%20Composite.mov

It's the Sonoma County Taiko Kids playing "Minna de Odoro" ("Let's Dance Together") - a song we wrote together. This clip is from the Zenshin concert last October. We also call the song "Kota's Dinner" because Odaiko-playing Kota is obsessed with Japanese food, and whenever I tried to get the kids to come up with a song name, he would volunteer food names.

DVD's will be available soon!
www.sonomacountytaiko.org