Carnal Japanese beats
Saturday, November 20, 2004
I had the pleasure of watching Taiko virtuoso Leonard Eto and the rest of the Leo Project Ensemble perform last night at the Arad Fort. It was brilliant. The fort as a backdrop for the performers, the sea and the Manama skyline behind the audience, perfect weather and a light sea breeze to complement the excellent music. And best of all it was FREE (even the refreshments) on behalf of the Japanese Embassy, so many many thanks to them for arranging it. Hope to see many more of such events in Bahrain.
There is something very special about listening to pure unadulterated rhythms. Whether it's Leonard Eto from Japan, Doudou N'Diaye Rose from Senegal or Pappu Sain from Pakistan, their music seems to evoke something carnal, primordial from deep down within all of us. Even young children are fascinated by raw beats. Some people have suggested that this is because of our relation to our mother's heartbeat while in her womb, or to our own heartbeat, or the rhythms and cycles of the universe. Regardless, its beautiful.
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on Saturday, November 20, 2004 at 11/20/2004 03:17:00 am. Permalink
11/21/2004 03:38:00 pm
I saw the Japanese Kodo Drummers a few years ago. They were incredible. The performance as well as the rhythms was awesome. The Kodo Drummers live and train as community on one of the Japanese islands and it's one of my dreams to one day visit them there and take one of the drumming courses they run.
Ash