WLABT Taiko Group
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The 2006 WLA Taiko Group at the WLA Obon |
November 2006 Taiko Group News by Rick Stambul
TAIKO PUPPIES STILL AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION
Please adopt and sponsor one of our homemade Taiko. They do not require food, water, or special care. In fact, for your donation of $1,000, your Taiko can be beautifully inscribed “In memory of...” or “In honor of...” anyone or any group you choose (maybe a family name). The inscription and its sentiment is up to you. Your donation will allow our Taiko Group to continue their passion and to honor our “home-grown” Taiko makers: Rev. Usuki, and Ichiro Ouchi. Woof!
October 2006 Taiko Group News by Rick Stambul
WEST L.A. TEMPLE TAIKO GROUP OBON PERFORMANCE PURE JINEN!
It was only the second public appearance of our own West LA Taiko Group and it was a great success. More than 20 Taiko drummers gathered together at our Obon Festival on both July 29 and 30. At the risk of sounding presumptuous, it wasn’t so much a “performance” (although we did perform and play) as it was an experience of many people acting (and sounding) as “one”. We were, without thought or pretense, finding jinen honi in real Buddhist terms, “just as we are”, “authentic.”
Special thanks goes to Rev. F. Usuki and Ichiro Ouchi who performed the impossible by constructing more than twenty (20) Taiko for our Group: An incredible accomplishment. Thanks also goes to those in our Sangha who sponsored the building of many of the Taiko by their unselfish donations: Thank you all! And special thanks must go to our teachers, M. Elaine Fukumoto, Joyce Layne, and Audrey Nakasone, all of whom gave selflessly of their time and hard work, and particularly from their hearts to inspire our new group. Thanks also gladly goes to Beverly Yahata, one of our own Taiko members, who served as Treasurer for the group, a most time consuming task.
As Elaine Fukumoto said so aptly after the Group’s Obon appearance: “It was evident in everyone’s faces........yes they were working hard.....but there seemed to be a Joy in their efforts....this was Kangi-e in action. A “Gathering of Joy” in every aspect of Obon.” I would only add that it was indeed a WLA Temple Taiko “Ode to Joy”.
Thank you all.
September 2006 Taiko Group News by Rick Stambul
TAIKO MILESTONE
The Spirit of Temple Members Spark the Construction of 20 Taiko
Don! Don! Don! Don!
Thunderous sounds resonate from the basement of the West Los Angeles Buddhist Temple. These are the sounds emanating from the 20 taiko that were recently built by the resident minister, Rev. Fumiaki Usuki, with the help of a longtime temple member, Ichiro Ouchi.
The taiko were built for the taiko class that was started in January, 2005. The class is being taught by Shin3, a performance group out of LA Betsuin.
The building of the taiko was made possible by the generous sponsorships by various members and organizations of the WLA temple.
In asking Rev. Usuki why he wanted to make so many taiko, he replied: “As a newly-assigned minister to the WLA temple, I was so impressed by the spirit of the temple members, I wanted to create a program for everyone, both young and old. I asked if they were interested in doing taiko and many indicated that they were. So, though I knew nothing about taiko and taiko-making, they gave me the energy to commit to making taiko for them."
Shin3 commented, “The making of 20 taiko in a relatively short period of time is a remarkable feat. Each taiko requires 50-100 hours of painstaking work...and this is on top of Rev. Usuki’s busy, full-time ministerial duties.”
The West L.A. taiko class performed on the 20 taiko at the temple’s Obon festivities.
- Elaine Fukumoto
Ichiro Ouchi (left) and Rev. Fumiaki Usuki (right). Shin3’s Audrey Nakasone and Elaine Fukumoto in the center surrounded by twenty taiko. Missing is Shin3 member Joyce Layne.
July / August 2006 Taiko Group News by Rick Stambul
Adopt a Taiko
Rev. Usuki and Ichiro Ouchi are still hard at work in our own “Taiko Workshop” (also known as the Temple garage) beginning work on the next (and they say, “Final!”) 11 Taiko for our West L.A. Taiko Group. These 11 new Taiko will round out an impressive ensemble BUT each one needs a sponsor. Please consider sponsoring the construction of a new Taiko. Each one can be made and beautifully inscribed “in memory of...” or “in honor of...” anyone or any group you choose (maybe a family name). The inscription and its sentiment is up to you. Each sponsored Taiko will involve a donation of $1,000. and will allow our Taiko Group to continue their passion: KaBoom!
June 2006 Taiko Group News by Rick Stambul
If you haven’t heard the music, energy, and sheer joy of our Taiko Group and its members each Wednesday evening, then you haven’t been at the Temple at 7:30. You’re missing out on the fun! Whether you’re 8 years old or 98, you are cordially invited again to come out to any practice on any Wednesday night at 7:30 to participate in or just watch the joy of taiko.
The group has also been busy with other matters that we’re quite excited about. Labels to recognize taiko donors have been ordered and we expect their arrival well before you’re reading this update. Thanks to the efforts of our advisor, Rev. Usuki, the Taiko T-Shirts he has been working on are out for bids and we all expect a reply shortly. Both Ichiro Ouchi and Rev. Usuki have been busy making taiko in our Taiko Workshop (also known as the garage) and it’s been reported that they’re all on schedule for completion by our July Obon Carnival. Thank you both!
This reporter’s attendance at a recent Wednesday taiko practice session found many new members attending, and apparently on a regular basis. Spirits are high and everyone involved seems to be getting more excited as their skills and level of enjoyment increases. We are still looking into cleaning up the basement for a better practice environment, and for new percussion “instruments” to back up our Taiko Group. Chico and Isabelle Jimenez, our group’s earliest supporters who provided us with the “know-how” to build our own taiko, are eagerly looking forward to our 2006 Obon and to watching our fledgling Taiko Group play an encore of last year. Our never ending apreciation goes to our selfless teachers, Elaine Fukumoto, Joyce Layne, and Audrey Nakasone all of whom travel great distances to teach us and perform with us every week. Ka-Boom!
March 2006 Taiko Group News by Rick Stambul
Correction to February 2006 Bulletin article entitled, “WLA TAIKO GROUP CELEBRATES”
I apologize for the oversight in neglecting to mention important contributions made by several members of our Sangha for the Taiko Party last December. In particular, the delicious dinner that evening was provided and served (buffet style) courtesy of the culinary experts of our Taiko group: Diane Ohkawahira and Kathy Nishimoto made rice; Masako Ishioka made a fruit salad; Grace Fujimoto made a cake; Reiko brought about six pies; and Beverly Yahata provided the beverages. Ummmm!
February 2006 Taiko Group News by Rick Stambul
WLA Taiko Group Celebrates
Only about one year ago the West Los Angeles Taiko Group was created, and we celebrated our one year anniversary on Wednesday, December 14 with a Taiko Party held in the Social Hall of our Temple. We were all pleased (even surprised!) by the substantial turnout of so many members of our Sangha who joined with us to lionize the event.
It began shortly after dark with a delicious dinner both provided and served (buffet style) by Beverly Yahata and Connie Yahata, hard-working members of our Group. Ummm!
Then our Taiko Group performed with grand style and much “Ka-Boom” that made the cups on each table “rock ‘n roll” to the music.
Many of those attending were persuaded to join the Group by playing along with them and the spirit and good cheer increased with each beat. Both Rev. Usuki and Rev. Patti attended to spur the group on.
Naturally, our own Taiko “carpenters” (Rev. Usuki, Masao Sasaki, and Ichiro Ouchi) were on hand to cheer, as was our mentor, Narcisco “Chico” Jiminez and his wife, Isabelle Jiminez who were so instrumental in assisting Sensei in learning how to make our own Taiko. Thanks to all of the many people who helped that evening but whom I have neglected to mention.
Finally, we honored our selfless Taiko teachers, Elaine Fukumoto, Joyce Layne, and Audrey Nakasone who responded with most creative gifts for our group members: Small (about 3” in height”) replicas of Taiko made by using jars of baby food wrapped with brown paper resembling the wood of a Taiko and finished off with colored yarn/string as mementos of the year. Thank you for your thoughtfulness.
We look forward to another year of great fun, laughter, and learning. Ka-Boom!
September / October 2005 Taiko Group News by Rick Stambul
West LA Taiko Tidbits by Richard Stambul
In less than six months, under the vigorous leadership of our own Rev. Usuki, West Los Angeles 
Buddhist Temple has a Taiko Group! What a success story. In December, we were scrounging around for tires from which to fashion “learner” taikos, and we were only just beginning our now successful and weekly taiko classes. It happened so fast. Those of you fortunate enough to witness the premier per-formance of our Taiko Group at our Obon saw it all: Ten taiko built from the ground up by Rev. Usuki, Ichiro Ouchi, and Mas Sasaki who devoted 100’s of hours (some estimates reach 500 hours!) of time and hard work in building them in the garage which should probably be renamed the “Usuki-Ouchi-Sasaki Carpentry and Cooper Shop”. We also watched 31 Taiko students performing at Obon on both Saturday and Sunday, led by our selfless and devoted taiko teachers, namely, Elaine Fukumoto, Joyce Layne, and Audrey Nakasone, to whom we can never express the full measure of our appreciation. Both our Rev. Usuki as well as Rev. Patti Usuki of San Fernando Valley Buddhist Temple performed with our group to round out the rhythm section and add to the fun. Thank you Rev. Patti!
Most impressive was the thunderous sound of more than 25 taiko playing in unison. Equally impressive was the age range of our performing taiko group: Starting at 4 years and extending up to and including 84 years made the performance memorable.
We also wish to again thank Kinnara Taiko who graciously performed for us on Sunday afternoon as they have for many years and who added to the festivities.
Finally, the Taiko Committee wishes to thank Mr. Chico Jimenez, its taiko making consultant, who generously donated his time, advice, and a beautiful odaiko for our Taiko Group, and to thank those members of our Sangha who have sponsored taikos with their substantial donations, as well as to all those who have made significant donations including the following organizations, WLA Temple, Sawtelle Property, and Tanomoshi. Thanks for all your support and generosity. Yoi-Sho!
The 2005 WLABT Taiko Group at the WLA Obon |
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ready to put on the skins. Five more barrels have been ordered. Rev. Usuki, Ichiro Ouchi and Mas Sasaki are putting in long hours in the garage making them.
Any organization or individual who wishes to sponsor a taiko drum can do so for a donation of $1,000 for full sponsorship, and the donor’s name will be appropriately and permanently inscribed on one taiko. Shared sponsorships of $500 and $250 are also available. We hope to use this money for more taiko, practice room improvement and other equipment, and to make our taiko class available to everyone in the community whether three years old or ….? You can come to the class anytime – there is no prerequisite.