Native name 影山伊作 Years active 2006–present Record label Collage Music Arts Instruments TaikoPercussion | Name Isaku Kageyama Origin Japanese Labels Collage Music Arts Associated acts Denver Taiko | |
Born December 12, 1982 (age 41) San Francisco ( 1982-12-12 ) Role Musical Artist · isakukageyama.com Similar People Kenny Endo, Eric Gravatt, Wadaiko Matsuriza, Wadaiko Yamato, Kodo | ||
Taiko Performance: Conversations - Isaku Kageyama - Taiko Drummer in Los Angeles
Isaku Kageyama (born December 12, 1982 in San Francisco, United States) is an American musician, composer, producer, and educator, specialized in taiko drums. He is a member of Tokyo-based taiko ensemble called Amanojaku and he currently attends Berklee College of Music. He is famous for his fusion of traditional Japanese music with jazz, rock and club music, whereby he has collaborated with many jazz artists such as Eric Gravatt, Terumasa Hino, Toshinori Kondo, and Kazutoki Umezu, as well as a wide range of ethnic musicians.
Contents
- Taiko Performance Conversations Isaku Kageyama Taiko Drummer in Los Angeles
- Propel ECTC2019 Swarthmore Taiko with Isaku Kageyama and Joe Small
- Early life and education
- Taiko career
- Taiko educator
- Awards and honors
- References
Propel - ECTC2019 Swarthmore Taiko with Isaku Kageyama and Joe Small
Early life and education
Isaku was born on December 12, 1981 in San Francisco, California. He attended St. Joseph International School in Yokohama, and graduated from International Christian University in 2004 with a BA in international relations. He currently attends Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.
Taiko career
He began playing taiko in 1987 under the tutelage of Kenny Endo in Tokyo. In 1989, Isaku joined Amanojaku, where he continued to study taiko skills with Yoichi Watanabe for the next 20 years. From 2006–2011, he toured with Amanojaku as one of the principal drummers. In 2011, Isaku entered Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he currently studies percussion and contemporary writing and production. He also collaborated with Yuu Ishizuka, a member of rival group Oedo Sukeroku Taiko.
His style is specific and modern as he plays taiko drums together with electric guitar and electric bass players to form a kind of hard rock or punk music sound.
Taiko educator
Kageyama teaches taiko at Wellesley College, University of Connecticut, and heads a taiko club at Berklee College of Music. He is the author of "20 Tips to Better Taiko" and has produced an educational CD Jikata.
Awards and honors
Isaku won highest honors at the Mt. Fuji Odaiko Competition in 2000, and the Muroran Taiko Contest in 2003.