Annual "Rhythmic Relations" concert by TAIKOPROJECT
Crowd-pleasing taiko songs and Arabic-Japanese musical fusion will be featured in TAIKOPROJECT’s all-new Rhythmic Relations 2013, to be held Saturday, June 29, at 8 pm at the famed Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood.
Joining in the first half of the concert are drumming groups Bombu Taiko, Kitsune Taiko, Loma Pacific Taiko, and Tanuki Taiko, in an exuberant program that features more than sixty taiko drummers.
In the second half of the concert, guest artist Middle Eastern master drummer Amir Sofi joins TAIKOPROJECT for new collaborative works blending taiko with the Arabic tabla and tambourine.
Since its founding in 2000, TAIKOPROJECT has been dazzling audiences with its unique contemporary blend of taiko with storytelling, music, and choreography. Winner of the top award at the 4th Annual Tokyo International Taiko Contest, the group has also performed around the world in such places as Hong Kong, Dubai, the U.K., and Mexico.
TAIKOPROJECT has been featured in everything from commercials to television shows to awards shows, performing alongside such musical superstars as Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, Usher, John Legend and Justin Bieber.
They were recently featured in rock band 30 Seconds to Mars’ viral music video, “Up in the Air,” and also recently received major grant awards from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Japan Foundation.
Now in its 6thyear, Rhythmic Relations 2013, TAIKOPROJECT’s annual taiko extravaganza, comes with an innovative new twist with their first international guest artist, Amir Sofi.
Sofi and TAIKOPROJECT’s Managing Director, Bryan Yamami, met three years ago while performing together with pop legend Stevie Wonder at the Bonnaroo Festival in Tennessee.
They kept in touch over the years, looking for an opportunity to collaborate, and that has finally arrived with this year’s Rhythmic Relations concert.
Amir Sofi
“It’s certain to be an unforgettable evening of taiko mixed with the unique sound of the Arabic tabla—taking taiko to its artistic limits and beyond,” says Yamami.
Tickets prices start at $20 – $25, $15 for full-time students with ID and $12 for children 12 and under. Tickets are available at www.FordTheatres.org or 323 461-3673.
For groups of 8 or more, call 323 769-2147.
The Ford Amphitheatre is located at 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood, CA 90058, just off the Hollywood Freeway across from the Hollywood Bowl and south of Universal Studios.
On-site stacked parking costs $5 per vehicle for evening shows. Free non-stacked parking is serviced by a free shuttle to the Ford available at the University City Metro Station lot at Lankershim Blvd. and Campo de Cahuenga. The shuttle, which cycles every 15-20 minutes, stops in the “kiss and ride” area.
More information about Rhythmic Relations 2013 is available at www.taikoproject.com or by calling (213)268-4011.
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