Ibuki

Ibuki

Japanese taiko drumming has been Kodo's speciality since 1981, and this sixteen-strong, highly disciplined troupe is still its main ambassador to the world. The power of these drums, many several feet wide, rivals their African counterparts, especially in live performance. <i>Ibuki</i> features Kodo ("heartbeat") in ten ritualized compositions, augmented with occasional flutes and handclapping. The focal point is the drums however, rising with great precision from whisper-quiet to a thunderous roar, with band members' shouted encouragements ("kakegoe") helping to recreate the theatrical presentation of what is also a very visual, very Japanese art form. Bill Laswell provides an unusually straightforward production, but when dealing with such a primal and dramatic medium there is little point in adding anything to the mix; the drums speak their own language and need no outside help at all. <i>--Derek Rath</i>