Drummers bring Japanese rhythm to Paradise

The Paradise Center recently sponsored an evening of entertainment with a group from Winnipeg Canada. The Fubuki Daiko Japanese Taiko Drummers consisted of four core members. They have entertained audiences throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Poland and twice in Paradise. The previous performance was in 2016.

The four performers, Hiroshi Koshiyama, Naomi Guilbert, Bruce Robertson and Giselle Mak have been giving their energetic performances for close to 20 years. Their performance is part martial arts, part meditation, and full of rhythm.

Naomi Guilbert said at the opening of the performance how excited they were to be back in Paradise and how well they have been accepted in the community.

She also commented on the type of drums they use and how they considered them equal partners in the performance. The drums were once living creatures that were trees from the forests and leather from cows, blended to create the music they now perform.

The group teaches their basic style of drumming to schools in Canada from K-12 grades and universities. Sharing their style of drumming requires them to be on the road for close to a third of each year. The current tour is their first opportunity to be on the road since the end of the pandemic.

The evening’s event drew over 80 attendees who enjoyed the music. Darlene Malmend commented that the performance "was awesome and impressive,” while 11-year-old Cameryn Malmend said “it was fun to watch and listen to."

After the concert Hiroshi Kosiyama said that this may be their last tour and that they were all in their 50s and 60s, and it was getting harder to perform with the needed energy levels.