JACCC Announces Ohara School of Ikebana Exhibition

Ohara School of Ikebana L.A. Chapter Exhibition Saturday, 03.13.10 - Sunday, 03.14.10 10am-4pm

2 DAYS ONLY!
The Ohara School of Ikebana, Los Angeles Chapter celebrates the coming of spring with a colorful weekend-long exhibition in the George J. Doizaki Gallery at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center in Little Tokyo.

This special exhibition will showcase masterfully executed original traditional and modern work that only has a shelf life of two days. A treat for the senses, the Ohara practitioners will showcase an array of colors and design that should not be missed. Close to 30 different pieces are scheduled to be on display.

George J. Doizaki Gallery
FREE

30th Anniversary Gala Celebration
Tuesday, 03.30.10 7pm

Celebrating 30 memorable years as an anchor institution in the Little Tokyo community, the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center will present its 30th Anniversary Gala on Tuesday, March 30th, marking a significant milestone for the JACCC in cultural arts programming and commitment to community. The Gala will include a concert featuring four preeminent musical artists, and is a fundraiser supporting the entire lineup of JACCC 30th Anniversary Season programs and activities. The Gala concert begins at 7pm and features taiko legend Kenny Endo; jazz piano virtuoso Keiko Matsui; five-time Grammy winner Daniel Ho; and Japanese music superstar Jero, who has reinvented and revitalized the Japanese folk ballads known as enka.

Following the concert, the celebration continues with a reception on the beautiful JACCC Plaza (designed by world-famous sculptor and designer Isamu Noguchi) to which all guests are invited. Food, drink, and music will provide a lively and festive atmosphere to culminate the evening beneath the stars with JACCC friends, family, and fellow supporters. More>>

Individual tickets for this fundraising event start at $150. For sponsorship information, please contact Jessie Kikuchi at (213) 628-2725, ext. 142 or jkikuchi@jaccc.org.

Sponsorship information

Aratani/Japan America Theatre & JACCC Plaza

Jero in Concert
JACCC 30th Anniversary Gala featuring Jero: Tuesday, 03.30.10 7pm
Los Angeles Debut: Wednesday, 03.31.10 8pm

Jerome CharLes White, Jr. aka Jero makes his long awaited U.S. concert debut with two exclusive West Coast performances. Jero will appear as a guest star at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center (JACCC) 30th Anniversary Gala Celebration on Tuesday, March 30. The enka superstar will also delight fans with a full concert the following day at JACCC's Aratani/Japan America Theatre.

As the first African American enka singer in the history of Japanese music, Jero has single-handedly reignited interest in the musical ballads that emerged in Japan's postwar era.

Raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Jero grew up listening to his Japanese grandmother's recordings of enka legend Misora Hibari. After appearing on a Japanese television contest, he landed a recording contract rising to the top of the charts with his hit single "Umiyuki (Snowy Sea)."

Critics have lauded the way this meteoric talent has managed to mold a traditional musical genre around a modern context in a way that appeals to both old and new generations. Looking like a hip-hop star, with the voice of an angel, he has redefined the Soul of Japan.

Jero was named the best new performer of 2008, appearing on the New Year's Eve songfest extravaganza "Kohaku." Dedicating his song to his ailing grandmother, audience members agreed that Jero best exemplified the show's theme of "creating bonds between people through the power of music."

For more information about Jero in Concert, please contact Helen Mauchi at (213) 628-2725 ext. 121 or hmauchi@jaccc.org.

Aratani/Japan America Theatre
$100, $80, $60, $50

Tickets may be purchased online or through the Aratani/Japan America Theatre Box Office, (213) 680-3700

Kenny Endo & Friends in Concert
Saturday, 04.03.10 8pm

World-renowned for his technique and artistry, Los Angeles native Kenny Endo will celebrate 35 years of the art of taiko at the Aratani/Japan America Theatre on Saturday, April 3 at 8pm. Beginning his musical journey as a jazz drummer, Endo launched his taiko career with the influential and groundbreaking L.A. group, Kinnara Taiko. Since then, he has become a paramount figure of the taiko community, and enjoys the distinction of being the first non-Japanese national to have received a natori, or classical stage name, in the traditional drumming style known as hougaku hayashi.

Joining Endo on stage will be a star-studded group of friends and fellow artists, including Kinnara Taiko, On Ensemble, Kaoru Watanabe (Japanese and western flutes, taiko), Wu Man (pipa), Abe Lagrimas, Jr. (vibraphones, drum set, ukulele), Derek Nakamoto (piano), and June Kuramoto (koto). This peerlessly talented and diverse cast of performers will explore an expansive range of musical expression, truly a unique and inspiring performance that should not be missed!

Watch Kenny Endo in action!

For more information, call Johnny Mori at (213) 628-2725 ext. 139 or email mori@jaccc.org.

Aratani/Japan America Theatre
$35 orchestra, $30 balcony
$32.50, $27.50 Groups 10+
$30, $25 JACCC Members

Tickets may be purchased online or through the Aratani/Japan America Theatre Box Office, (213) 680-3700