Cottonwood News – Old Town Center for the Arts is pleased to announce Ken Koshio & Kenzoo appearing at OTCA in a special evening concert on Saturday, April 30th at 7:00 PM. This special event is sponsored by Mount Hope Foods.
Ken Koshio is a world class Japanese Taiko drummer. Taiko is a Japanese style of percussion, which combines music, movement and spirit. Ken pushes the boundaries of Taiko through various collaborations, creating a totally authentic and unique style of music and Taiko performance art.
Joining Ken for this special evening of world music is Kenzoo, which includes:
John Paul Mendes, Taiko drummer; Dashimesh, Didgeridoo and percussion; Ryon Polequaptewa, Hopi Native flutist, drums and vocal, and Miro Koshio, Taiko Drumer, bamboo flute and vocals.
As director for the event, Ken Koshio’s passion is to create the most rewarding experience possible and to express the importance of our shared origins and our collective attunement with nature.
Ken was born in Japan and has been traveling around the world as a musician and street singer. Currently based in Phoenix, he creates fusion music with Native American artists and has produced a Japanese folk tale musical story: ‘Sakura no Ne’ a collaborative project with the Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix. In addition to his role as a musician, he also acts as an ambassador of Japan, linking his cultural roots to the rest of the world. Since moving to the Southwest, Ken has been working with Native American artists to find common ground and collaboration with their dance, music, drumming and singing. He has toured Japan with several Native American artists to create new exchanges in this global age, acknowledging that music and art are one of the great tools to communicate between people and cultures.
Ken is in the Guinness Book of World records for a concert performing in front of 40,000 people in 2013 with more than 500 artists in India. He received the Mayor’s Arts Award in 2015, music category and was a nominee for a Governor’s Arts Award in 2016, Artist Category.
Presently, Ken shares his Japanese spirit of WA taiko at his dojo WAKONKAN and has been producing cultural events as K2Enterprise from 2013.
Join Ken & Kenzoo for this soulful and powerful performance, Saturday, April 30th at 7:00 PM. Ken Koshio will also be offering a Japanese Taiko Drumming Workshop for Body, Mind and Spirit, on Sunday, May 1, at 10:30 AM in Studio B at Old Town Center for the Arts. The workshop will be limited to 15 individuals and the cost for the 2 hour workshop is $30, with everything provided. Dress comfortably. To make reservations for the workshop, please contact Ken at info@kenkoshio.com.
Old Town Center for the Arts Is located at 5th Street & Main in Old Town Cottonwood. Tickets for Ken Koshio and Kenzoo are, $20 advance, $22 at the door, and $25 for priority seating in the first three rows. Tickets are available online at www.showtix4u.com or in Cottonwood at Mount Hope Foods and Mysterium and In Sedona, you can find tickets at The Mary D. Fisher Theater. For ticket prices and more information about these and other upcoming events, visit www.oldtowncenter.org, or call Elena Bullard at 928 634 0940.