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Taiko ART Legacy Presents Two Extraordiary Concerts Plus an Interactivel Workshop Dec. 7-8

Taiko ART Legacy directed by multi-instrumentalist and media artist Tatsu Aoki presents two concerts this weekend: "Reduction 7- The Ginten Legacy" Saturday, Dec. 7; and "Taiko Legacy 16" Sunday, Dec. 8.

The sleekness and effervescence of jazz meets the dynamism and boldness of the taiko drum are showcased in the Saturday, 7:30 p.m. "Reduction 7" concert which will feature unreleased materials from 1970's original taiko theater - the Gintenkai in Tokyo. Classical masters Hyakkyou Fukuhara (flute/percussion), Chizuru Kineya (shamisen) and Shijuro Tachibana (kabuki dance) will be joined by a critically acclaimed roster of jazz artists including percussionist Hamid Drake, poet and musician Coco Elysses; JoVia Armstrong, the winner of Black Women in Jazz Awards' 2014 Best Black Female Percussionist of the Year and, direct from France, drummer and improviser and Yuko Oshima.

The resonating thunder of taiko drums, the precision of traditional Japanese dance and the delicately emotive sound of the Shamisen share the stage when the multigenerational Tsukasa Taiko performs a fascinating and highly entertaining mix of original compositions and arrangements in a broad range of musical styles in the Sunday "Taiko Legacy 16" 2 p.m. concert. Joining the 30 members of Chicago's Taiko Legacy will be San Francisco's Melody Takata and the Gen Ryu Arts and three classical music grandmasters from Japan: Chizuru Kineya, Hyakkyou Fukuhara and Shijuro Tachibana

Schaumberg's own Noriko Sugiyama, International Residency Performer and Instructor, and Yoshinojo Fujima (Rika Lin), a shin-nisei (a part of postwar Japanese-American diaspora), an interdisciplinary performing artist, choreographer, and a Grandmaster in Fujima style Japanese classical dance, are featured in both concerts.

In addition to the concerts, there will be an interactive Kabuki music workshop by Shijuro Tachibana, Sunday, Dec. 8 at 5:30 p.m. Ikunojo Fujima will preface the workshop by performing an excerpt from "Fuji Musume" (Wisteria Maiden) in full costume, accompanied by the classical music grandmasters from Japan including Chizuru Kineya, Hyakkyou Fukuhara and Shijuro Tachibana. Following the dance, Grandmaster Shijuro Tachibana will conduct a Kabuki music workshop, providing the audience an opportunity to participate in creating the musical landscape that provides a lush precision within a Kabuki performance.

The concerts and workshop are ticked events and take place at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, 220 E. Chicago Ave. Concert tickets are $20 (adults) and $15 (Seniors/Kids under 12); Workshop tickets are $25. For updates and more information visit taikolegacy.com email or call the Taiko Legacy Hot Line 312.610.2581.

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