Tag ‘Kyoko Homma’
“Impressions of ‘Kodo One Earth Tour: Chaos'” by Kyoko Honma
Impressions of “Kodo One Earth Tour: Chaos”
Review by Kyoko Honma ● Photos by Takashi Okamoto
I used to spend my days going to concert halls and live houses all over Tokyo. Without a doubt, the rock performances were the most explosive.
Guitar, bass, and drums.
I saw countless bands featuring these three instruments with vocals. The drummer and bass player are usually the rhythm section of each band, so if the drums go off beat, they cannot play the rhythm as one.
When I closed my eyes to feel the rhythm, for some reason
onidaiko (demon drumming from Sado Island) would come to mind. It was sort of like a strange déjà vu about the folk arts on Sado.
I found the reason for that phenomenon when I saw Kodo’s “Chaos” performance.
There were three drum kits on stage. Three drummers played the drums, each in their own way, and I got goosebumps each time. There is a universality within the action of beating a rhythm and each powerful beat resonates throughout your soul. So any sound created on earth comes from the same place. This also rang true for the flutes, timpani, and harps that were featured in the “Chaos” performance. I heard sound only that person could create, that I could only encounter in that moment. It is significant that the Kodo performers gave this performance without collaborating with other artists.
The audience responded with echoing applause.
I floated over an invisible wall of preconceptions and really enjoyed the sound. Centered around percussion, “Chaos” also incorporates string instruments, wind instruments, vocals, handmade instruments…anything and everything!
I am excited by the fascinating possibilities Kodo, the ultimate “band,” has shown with this production.
Ms. Kyoko Honma is the daughter of Mr. Masahiko Honma, a teacher and advisor to Kodo since the founding of its antecedent group Sado no Kuni Ondekoza. Ms. Honma attended the premiere performance of “Chaos” on Sado Island on Nov. 23, 2015.
▶Performance Schedule (Nov.–Dec. 2015)
Premiere Tour Throughout Japan
Nagoya Dec. 15 (Tue), 2015 Aichi Arts Center, Nagoya, Aichi
Yokohama Dec. 17 (Thu) Kanagawa Kenmin Hall, Yokohama, Kanagawa
Tokyo Dec. 19 (Sat)–23 (Wed./Public Hol.) Bunkyo Civic Hall, Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo