KODO Kicks-Off United States Tour Today

Kodo - the world's most celebrated masters of Japanese percussion, who played a singular role in popularizing modern taiko drumming - presents their newest program DADAN in North America for the first time, visiting 22 U.S. cities between January 26 and March 25, 2017. Forging new directions for the traditional Japanese drum, Kodo will bring a display of their raw athleticism and rhythmic mastery back to the U.S. with this cutting-edge and ever-evolving production featuring the men of Kodo in a bold portrayal of the essence of drumming through this vibrant living art form. 2017 tour highlights include stops at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, Chicago's Symphony Center the Smith Center in Las Vegas and BAM (Brooklyn Academy Of Music) in New York City. Complete schedule below.

Simultaneously raw and refined, DADAN was created by artistic director and Japanese "Living National Treasure" Tamasaburo Bando. Simply meaning "Drumming Men", DADAN features only the company's young male members and is unique among Kodo's programs in its absence of singing, dancing, flutes and female performers. Instead, this production exclusively uses taiko drums of all shapes and sizes, as well as other forms of percussion. The climax of DADAN features a succession of compelling solos, and with each new drummer's relentless and rhythmic pounding of the hirado o-daiko (big low drum), the reverberations build to soul-stirring heights. The solos then crescendo into a round of rousing ensemble pieces, completely immersing the audience in sound as they watch the taiko soar to new levels. More than any other piece in the Kodo repertoire, DADAN simultaneously challenges the limits of the player's physical, technical, psychological and spiritual talents. DADAN saw its world premiere in Tokyo in September 2009, and its foreign debut at Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France, with four sold-out performances in 2012. The production toured across Japan in 2012 and was showcased twice at the "Earth Celebration" annual international performing arts festival on Sado Island. Tours of Spain and France followed during 2014, and in October 2015, DADAN was performed in Hong Kong - a first in Asia outside of Japan. The South American debut took place in March of 2016 in Brazil, and the 2017 DADAN performances will be its first North American tour. The program listing is below. For a preview of DADAN, click HERE.

About Kodo
In Japanese, the word "Kodo" holds a double meaning. It can be translated as "heartbeat," the primal source of all rhythm. If read in a different context however, Kodo can also mean "children of the drum," which reflects the group's desire to play the drums with the simple heart of a child. Since the group's debut at the Berlin Festival in 1981, Kodo has given 5,800 performances in 49 countries on five continents (this figure includes 3,900 performances under the "One Earth" banner). The ensemble also participates in a wide range of projects and events, which includes headlining major international festivals, contributing to motion picture soundtracks, and collaborating with a wide variety of global performing arts leaders.

Kodo's members, staff and apprentices live in Kodo Village, a 33 acre self-contained section of the Ogi Peninsula on Sado Island in the Sea of Japan, isolated from the rest of the island's residents. Since 1971 Sado Island has been the home to Kodo, some of the most disciplined performers in the world, whose work and artistry transcends borders, genre and time. In this beautiful natural environment Kodo developed their extraordinary compound, devoted to creativity, education and exchange which includes a central office building, a rehearsal hall, residential building and guest house, a workshop, a recording studio, and the legendary Kodo Apprentice Center. For more information, visit http://www.kodo.or.jp/index_en.html.

About Tamasaburo Bando
Tamasaburo Bando is a leading Kabuki actor, and the most popular and celebrated onnagata (actor specializing in female roles) currently on stage. His theatrical directing credits include Romeo & Juliet and Kaijin Besso and he has directed the films Gekashitsu, Yume no Onna, and Tenshu Monogatari. In 2012, Bando became the artistic director of the Kodo ensemble and was recognized as an Important Intangible Cultural Property Holder ("Living National Treasure") in Japan. In 2013 he was decorated with the highest honor--Commander-- of France's Order of Arts and Letters.