For most of us, the March 2011 devastating tsunami and earthquake with loss of 19,000 lives and more than 300,000 displaced in Northern Japan is a distant memory. Yet, for those in the Tohoku region where the quake had its greatest impact, many lives are still on hold as communities are being rebuilt.
Takahiro Dai is a high school trumpet-playing student who lost contact with his family for two days after the earthquake and still has not been able to return to his home in Otsuchi. Last March, on the second anniversary of the quake, Takahiro, along with his family, were treated to an uplifting Otonowa jazz concert, and he was able to participate in jazz clinics with his fellow students. Otonowa, a fiscally-sponsored project of the San Jose Jazz Festival, is a jazz quartet (of Japanese U.S. and Japanese-born musicians) led by renown drummer Akira Tana, with Masaru Koga on reeds, percussion and traditional Japanese instruments, Art Hirahara on piano and Noriyuki Ken Okada on bass, with guest vocalist Saki Kono. The group came together after the earthquake to raise funds for earthquake victims. One of their concerts was live streamed, so those in Japan could participate and understand the extent of support they had from Americans. Out of this effort grew Otonowa (Sound Circle), a recording project of jazz interpretations of traditional Japanese folk songs.Videos