ONDEKOZA

Japan's Demon Drummers, Ondekoza are set to bring these now legendary drummers to an even greater worldwide audience.

Ondekoza are in the words of their founder Tagayasu Den, a group "in search of the generative power and the orgin of the Japanese people." The drum is one of the most primitive instruments which can provide straightforward emotions such as joy, hate, anger and harmony. To this end, Ondekoza lead a communual life, aiming for harmony and physical fitness. Through their sound they hope to evoke these emotions within the listener.

Ondekoza were formed in 1969 on Sado Island by Tagayasu Den. Young men and women, until then unassociated with Japanese traditional performing arts, underwent vigorous physical training of marathon and technical training of the

Japanese Giant drums in communual life on the island. In 1975, the group made a spectacular debut in the US as all members ran and crossed the line of the Boston Marathon and immediately ran up to the stage to perform. Since then, like a typhoon they have created a storm wherever they have performed in the world, throgh their powerful and breathtaking music.

The unique idea of indivisibility between 'running and musical performance' was demonstrated by their unprecedented Around the US Marathon Concert Tour. Starting with a Carnegie Hall concert appearance in New York on November 12th, 1990 and closing with a concert at the same hall on December 3rd 1993. Ondekoza had run a total of 14,910 km and performed 355 concerts, during a 1, 071 day tour of the entire United States.

Every one of the 15 or so members of Ondekoza, run 30-40km a day, because the drums require both physical as well as mental strength. There is no teacher, so each new member must acquire the skills and expressions of the drum by his or her own.

By driving one's body and mind to the limit of complete detachment through such enormous physical and mental exercise, the troupe can claim to find the spirit of the Japanese traditional performing arts. With Fujiyama, Japan's most famous backdrop, perhaps you too can discover that essence of the Japanese spirit.

OTHER CDs available by Ondekoza