Rafu Shimpo, 2/8/92, DOR Evening Program Musicans

NO. 26,602
SATURDAY,FEBRUARY8, I992
L O S A N G E L E S J A P A N E S ED I
DAY OF REMEMBRANCE
Musicians,PerformingArtists AcknowledgeTheir
Cultural History in Night of Remembrance
from Ricki Lee Jonesto Dori Caymmy. Both musrcianscan be heardon countlesshit albums.
Although thesemusicianshave worked together
in various combinations,it took the 50 Year Commemorationto bring all of this talent togetherin one
group for the Night of Remembrance.
By MIYA IWATAKI
Prior to this program will be performancesby
The once in a lifetime 50 Year Remembrance
activities on Saturday,Feb. l5 will culminatein a acoustic musicians and performancehrtists.
The evening will open with "Poston,Sonata,"an
celebration of music, performance art and danceat
8 p.m. in the Japan America Theatre, 244 S. San acousticmusicalexperiencededicatedto the former
inmatesof PostonRelocationCehterandcornposed
Pedro St. in Little Tokyo.
The Night of Remembrance is a program of by pianistGlenn Horiuchi.
'music
"firsts"
Horiuchi's
reflects Japanese,African
featuring artistswho have blazed new trails
American and European jazz influences, and his
in their fields with cultural integrity and pride.
"Day
In the spotlight is the
of Remembrance five albums recordedon Asianlmprov Records all
Band," an extraordinary grouping of top musicians include musical tributes to the redress/reparations
who have been inspired by, and in turn have pro- struggle.
Horiuchi hascomposedforfilm and theatre,and
duced music that has been a sourceof pride to the
has recently won a National Endowment for the
community.
Composer-arranger-film scorer-saxmanDan Arts and L.A. City Cultural Affairs grant to produce
"Little Tokyo Suite,'l a six-movementpiece for an
Kuramoto is the co-founder and spokespersonfor
octet and two dancersthat will
Hiroshima, the first Asian
be premiering the following day
American band to sign with a
at the Harbor College Music
major record label (Arista) and
Recital Hall.
gain national recognition. A
Performing with Horiuchi is
community activist from the
'60s, Kuramoto writes and arLillian Nakanoon shamisen.She
receivedher master'scertificate
rangesmuchof theband'smusic
and professionalname from the
andhasscoredfilms for Michael
"The
prestigious Kineya School, the
Uno ("The'Wash,"
Siprincipal school for nagauta
lence"),Visual Communications
shamisen.Shehasan innovative
and was musical director for
"Zoot
approachto shamisenin a jazz
Suit" and advisor for the
context.
film.
Flutist Francis Wong will
Koto Sensei June Okida
round out the trio. Wong, who
Kuramoto, an original Hirosfrima
also plays the saxophone, has
member, was the first to inteperformed at prestigiousj azzfesgrate this traditional instrument
tivals in ltaly, Germany,Canada,
into a jazz rock medium. The
as well as New York and San
beauty of the koto and June's
Francisco.
skillful playing has made her a
With a background in comsought-aftermusician by artists
mercial theatreandfi lm ("Flower
such as Manhattan Transfer, David Iwataki
Drum Song,""WestsideStory"),
Angela Bofill, George Duke,
Nobuko Miyamoto knew there
Ravi Shankar,Taste of Honey.
had to be more. In the early '70s,
ln 1969;JohnnyMori was an
sheteamedup with Chris Iijima,
originator of Kinnara Taiko,
becoming the first singerswhich made a breakthrough on
songwriters of original Asian
two frgnfs:.,4sthe first contemAmerican music.
poraryr;uiiko'grbupand the firqt
Now artistic directorof Great
taiko group to feature women.
Leap, Nobuko hasworked to creMori joined Hiroshima in 1975.
ate musicals, solo pieces and a
He was featured in KCET's
shonfilm. Shewill perforn with
p"pulail?Vioe-i;ffi'il1iffi
ilEfff6i
" choreographer/dancerLong
in "Karate KidII." He sefvebon
Nguyen, born in SouthVietnam
the Multi-Cultural Advisory
and who cameto the U.S. at 13.
Panel of the California Arts
His works have been produced
Council and Los Angeles City
in SeattleandL.A. atHighways,
Cultural Arts.
Walker Art Center and On the
Musical directorsforthis perBoards.
formance are Yutaka Yokokura
David Iwataki and Yutaka
Yokokura serveas artistic director
for the musicalcelebration.
YV tisLSl(IIt
Ravi Shankar,Taste of HoneY.
In 1969,JohnnYMori was an
originator of Kinnara Taiko'
which made a breakthrough on
two fronts:,as the first coRtemporary fiiiko group and the firsl
taiko group to feature women.
Mori joined Hiroshima in1975.
He was featured in KCET's
pHiAd
populai:;Viae*;io*d,",iifi
"Karate Kid Il." He serveson
in
the Multi-Cultural AdvisorY
Panel of the California Arts
Council and Los Angeles CitY
Cultural Arts.
Musical directorsforthis Performance are Yutaka Yokokura
and David Iwataki. Yutaka
brought togetherhis Asianjazz
fusion with African American
vocalist Patti Austin in his toP- Dan Kuramoto
"Love Light." Still
ten hit album
with Dave Grusin's GRP record
label, Yutaka is breakingnew ground with an Asian"Brazasia," as
Brazilian sound on his latest CD,
well as producing for other artists in his recording
studio.
Composer-keyboardistDavid lwataki, formerly
with Willie Bobo, John Lucien, Olivia Newtona new
John and Paul Anka was the first to compose
"Kokoro,"
contemporary soundfor koto. The tune,
written for June Okida Kuramoto's koto becamea
Hiroshima hit. Iwataki is currently working on an
album of original tunesandpreparingforhis concert
at the JapanAmerica Theatre in May'
Three exciting and high energy vocalists will
perform with the all-star band; including Atomic
Nan"y, the original Hiroshima lead singer whose
"belt-em-out" style is fondly remernbered.She and
writer-keyboard player Benny Yee were recently
featured at East West PlaYers.
JesseAcuna is a percussionistaswell asa vocalist, andbecamepopular for his soulful balladswhile
with Hiroshima. Ever expanding, he has studied
guitar with Moacir Santos and is now performing
his own Brazilian-tinged works'
Anotherprogramfeature is PaulineWilson, who
livened up the popularjazz fusion group, Seawind,
as their lead vocalist. One of the first Filipinas to
gain national attention,sheoften singswith Yutaka
and is currently finishing her own album.
This ensemblewill be rounded out by top-studio
musiciansLuis Conte,the well-known top session
percussionistwho recently did the Madonna World
Tour: and Jerry Watts on bass,whose credits range
JLUrJ
,r,
Nobuko Miyamoto knew there
'70s,
had to be more. In the earlY
sheteamedup with Chris Iijima,
becoming the first singerssongwriters of original Asian
American music.
Now artistic directorof Great
Leap, Nobuko hasworked to create musicals, solo pieces and a
film. Shewill perforunwith
sh.oTt
choreographer/dancerLong
Nguyen, born in South Vietnam
and who cameto the U.S. at 13.
His works have been Produced
in Seattleand L.A. at HighwaYs,
Walker Art Center and On the
Boards.
Writer/performer AmY Hill
first won nationalrecognition as
one of the sisters in WaYne
"Dim Sum." Shebegan
Wang's
doing improv andcomedYin San
Francisco,moving toLos Angeperformedwith Cold Tofu, as
she
les in 1987where
well as TV and movies ("Tracey Ullman Show,"
"scrooged"). Her one-woman shows "Tokyo
"Mrs' Hill and
Bound" and Century cable show'
Mudd," reflect variouscomedic aspectsof Japanese
American life. She is creating new material for
Night of Remembrance.
Lane Nishikawawas the first Asian American to
"Lifeinthe Fast
write andperforn aone-manshow,
Lane," which exposed.the many facts of being a
IiawaiianJapaneseSanseiin America. His dynamic
stage presenceled to a successfulrun opening a
whble-newarenaof perfonnanceart for Asians. He
"I'm on a Mission from Buddha" and
followed with
is currently working on a new production.
As an actor, Nishikawa hasworked on stageand
formerdirectorof the Asian American
' film and was
TheaterCenterin SanFrancisco'He is alsofeatured
inthe 1992 Asian Men Calendar.
Seating is limited, orchestraseatsare $20' balcony, $15. For ticket information, call the Japan
American Theatre Box Office, (213)680-3700.
The concertis sponsoredby the 50th Year Commemoration Committee, and in part by The Rafu
Shimpo and Anheuser-Busch.
(Miya lwataki is the producer of the show. A
founding member of NCRR and radio talk show
host for "East Wind" on KPFK 90.7 FM, she and
Warren Furutani, Los Angeles Unified School
District president, will serve as emceesfor the
program.)