Thank you for this Taiko 101 History. For me kumidaiko is where Taiko became a truly engaging art with a lot of momentum to reach an increasingly larger audience. North American Taiko groups do tend to be more experimental than Japanese groups and Shangö Mountain Taiko's expansion idea is a good description for the emerging "4th era."

Hmmm.. place in history? Given that the less than a year old Shangö Mountain Taiko is a community taiko group in a small, rural Applachian town far from the centers of North American Taiko - with no Zen Temple, no Buddhist Church, No Japan Society, No significant Asian American Community, No Colleges or Universities, and no major Institutional Sponsors. Our schools here in rural Morgan County, WV are chronically strapped for cash. So essentially bunch of hillbillies with sticks, with an intermediate player as Facilitator. Where we stand in the vast Taiko universe? We are probably best described as part of what might be considered an emerging "North American Taiko” movement, honoring it’s Japanese roots but expanding and exploring the possibilities of taiko. For instance, bringing in African rhythms like “Shangö” and jamming with classic rock tunes. The emerging “4th era” which we seem to be entering might be called “Expansion” - both in the number of stylistic interpretations and overall growth of Taiko in North America and worldwide. $ 0.02

@keithcarter9012

Ай бұрын

Taiko groups are few and far between in our area (West Virginia and North Carolina). I have not gotten to see Shangö perform yet. I know they have done a lot with a little and they are expanding the art and growing the community. Alas, work is going to keep me from road tripping to experience their first anniversary celebration performance April 19, 2024.