I find it fascinating how different styles of drum groups evolve. I have found a taiko group here in San Diego that have been playing together for many years and get together to practise a few times a week. ( I managed to get in for a couple of lessons) I was first introduced to taiko through a workshop i did in the UK with the Kodo drummers who are based on Sado Island in Japan.
I read that – “In Japanese the word “Kodo” conveys two meanings: “heartbeat” the primal source of all rhythm and, read in a different way, the word can mean “children of the drum.” During their first time in the UK some scientists did some tests as they are physically very fit musicians – they attached heart monitors and were astounded to find that their heartbeats gradually beat as one, as they all started to play together.
