Jazz Articles about Daihachi Oguchi

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Daihachi Oguchi: Taiko Drum Master Silenced

by Randall Robinson
July 15, 2008

A former jazz drummer, Daihachi Oguchi took ancient rhythms, broke them down and created new arrangements and compositions to accommodate an ensemble of drummers. He helped turn the traditional form into a dramatic performance spectacle. Elevating the traditional folk sounds of taiko to modern music played in concert halls, not just festivals and shrines. He led and starred in the performance of drumming and dance at the closing ceremony of the 1998 Nagano Olympics.

Taiko is a powerful ...