Grand Master Seiichi Tanaka

Tanaka Sensei was the first “outsider” to be accepted as an apprentice with Grand Master Daihachi Oguchi of the Suwa Taiko.  He then went on to study and add to his repertoire, the very sophisticated, modern technique of Tokyo-style Sukeroku Taiko.  After years of study, Tanaka Sensei was also granted permission to perform Gojinjo Taiko outside the Gojinjo district.   Tanaka Sensei received general Hogaku education in the very strict, Japanese traditional style by Master Kineya Sasazo.  (Hogaku is traditional stage music for Kabuki dance, Noh drama, etc.)   He has also studied festival and sacred ceremonial music on yokobue with Master Kiyohiko Fukuhara.  Most recently, in 2001, Tanaka Sensei was recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts and was presented the National Heritage Award for traditional and folk arts.

Nosuke Akiyama has been a friend and colleague of Tanaka Sensei for over thirty years.  He is on of the founding members of the San Francisco Taiko Dojo.  He has performed with SFTD since its humble beginnings in the basement of the YMCA in San Francisco’s Japan Town.  World renowned as a Lion Dancer, Mr. Akiyama has amazed and charmed audiences with his expressive and natural movements.  He humbly attributes the inspiration of his art to his pet cat at play.  However, it takes a true master to take what he sees in life and then transform the vision into the dance he performs for a captivated audience.  Mr. Akiyama has graciously agreed to share his experience and knowledge, so that students may explore yet another avenue of the performing arts that are associated with taiko.

Kenny Endo is an internationally known taiko performing artist.  He is a leader in the field of utilizing the traditional taiko in innovative jazz/fusion settings.  A native of Los Angeles, Mr. Endo began early training in western drums and percussion for performance with classical, jazz, and rock musicians.  However, he discovered his roots through the Japanese taiko drum and has focused on developing this artform.  In 1975, he began studying at the San Francisco Taiko Dojo andi n 1980 embarked on a decade long odyssey in japan studying with the masters in classical, festival, and group drumming.  He is the first non-Japanese national to be honored with a stage name, “natori”, and master’s degree in classical Japanese drumming, “hogaku Hayashi”.

Tiffany Tamaribuchi is the principal instructor, artistic director, and general manager of the Sacramento Taiko Dan and Tozai Wadaiko.  Ms. Tamaribuchi founded the group in 1989 after studying with San Francisco Taiko Dojo, under the direction of Grand Master Seiichi Tanaka.  Since that time, she has studied with several premiere artists and groups in japan (Za Ondekoza, KODO, Oedo Sukeroku Daiko, Zampa Ufujishi Daiko, Wadaiko Ichiro) and the U.S.  She composes, arranges and choreographs material for Sacramento Taiko Dan and Tozai Wadaiko, as well as for other groups.

Russel Hisashi Baba is a gifted musician and creative artist who has focused on refining an intuitive natural style.  His distinct sound on saxophone and flutes, and his innovative approach in his writing, have opened opportunities to perform and tour with esteemed artists in the creative as well as the traditional fields – notably, jazz musicians drummer Eddie Moore, violinist Michael White, and pianist Andrew Hill (Playboy Magazine Jazz Artist of the Year 2006); taiko artists Seiichi Tanaka, Kenny Endo, and San Jose Taiko; and Japanese butoh dancer Min Tanaka.  Russel started taiko training in 1972 with Seiichi Tanaka and the San Francisco Taiko Dojo and with Jeanne Mercer founded Shasta Taiko in 1985.  Their annual concerts in Mt Shasta have now expanded successfully to an outdoor taiko/music festival, ShastaYama.  Russel is recognized as a pioneering artist in American taiko and Asian American jazz.  He may be one of the first Asian American artists to produce his own work with the critically acclaimed recording “Hisashi” in 1978.  Since then he has produced “Earth Prayer” in 1992 which features Andrew Hill and “Spirit Drum – Taiko Stories From America” with Jeanne Mercer in 1999 which features their son, Masato Baba and also Shoji Kameda who both started as young children with Shasta Taiko. 

Jeanne Aiko Mercer is a highly respected American taiko artist and pioneer.  Her considerable artistic and technical skills are widely admired, and her compositions are noted for their originality and challenging direction.  Jeanne’s leadership and longevity in taiko are an inspiration to women in taiko.  Her taiko experience began in 1972 with Grand Master Seiichi Tanaka and the San Francisco Taiko Dojo, and she trained and toured with the group for over 10 years.  She co-founded Shasta Taiko with Russel Baba in 1985 and has dedicated her life to teaching the art, discipline, and philosophy of taiko.  Jeanne has expanded her musical expression to perform jazz on taiko and trap drums at various venues with Russel Baba and notable jazz artists – drummers Eddie Moore and Art Blakey, violinist Michael White, and pianist Andrew Hill.  Jeanne and Russel have received numerous grants from the California Arts Council to offer taiko to the Mt. Shasta community.  They also have led various workshops nationally and were honored to lead the first Summer Taiko Institute – an intensive for young recognized taiko leaders in North America.  Jeanne and Russel have also been recognized and interviewed on numerous articles, radio and T.V., videos, DVDs, and exhibits on American taiko – “Shasta Taiko” documentary, “Spirit of Taiko,” and “The Big Drum.”