Listen & Be Heard Weekly Archives

Taiko drummer Shoji Kameda?Äôs skill with the big Japanese drum and his love of performance is quite evident. Not only does Kameda appear with his band On Ensemble, but in addition he performs with LA-based Hiroshima (currently on tour and recently at Yoshi?Äôs Jack London Square). A California native from Mt. Shasta, Mr. Kameda trained in taiko under Japanese masters and performed with various taiko-oriented groups before forming the On Ensemble. Recorded over a period of about one year with the three other members of On Ensemble, the disc Dust and Sand is a mainly percussion powered treat. An all-acoustic effort featuring taiko, drums, tambourines and a collection of percussion instruments, Dust and Sand blends traditional sounds with new age jazz compositions and Tuvan throat singing. The live performance style of On Ensemble has a rich visual component, obviously not possible to be experienced via a digital recording. The choreographed motions of the four On Ensemble members add an immeasurable magnitude of richness to their music. Thus may I also suggest considering their concert DVD titled Neiro? Additionally, the members of On Ensemble frequently appear with guest musicians to perform experimental concerts. As a bonus, Dust and Sand has been released under the Creative Commons licensing program. Once purchased, the songs may be copied and distributed royalty free.

Please visit the On Ensemble website for performance video clips, photos, concert appearance dates, and more.

Never heard of the Creative Commons license? Please visit the official website:

http://www.creativecommons.org/

Yes, Dust and Sand is available via iTunes. Click the link below to go directly to the album at the i-tunes store.

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