(Jap.: ‘Ensemble of drums’, from kumi: ‘group’, ‘ensemble’; -daiko: the suffixing form of taiko, a generic term for Japanese drums).
An ensemble using mainly indigenous Japanese percussion instruments for performance on the stage.
Japanese indigenous percussion traditionally served as an accompaniment in ritual music and classical theatre. Its post-war transition to centre-stage was mainly a result of the work of jazz drummer Oguchi Daihachi who, by featuring these instruments in a series of compositions exploring the interface between jazz and ritual drumming, brought them to the fore in contemporary composition. The performance of Oguchi's work at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics inspired the formation of similar ensembles nationwide, notably in the Hokuriku area where kumi-daiko performance became standard evening entertainment at hot springs.
During the 1960s Japan underwent a period of rapid modernization. Many felt the ‘new’ Japan to be losing touch with its ‘traditional’ culture, leading to renewed interest in such arts. As part of this interest Den Tagayasu began assembling a commune with friends for the pursuit of traditional arts and crafts on the remote Sado island. Among the many projects initiated was a kumi-daiko ensemble. Ondekoza (‘devil drummers’) specialized in performing stage arrangements of drum traditions drawn from the entire Japanese archipelago. Following its 1975 Paris début the ensemble enjoyed a number of international tours before an internal dispute caused the ensemble to disband.
Some members stayed on Sado, forming the ensemble Kodō in 1981 which (its name virtually synonymous with the genre) is widely regarded as Japan's leading kumi-daiko ensemble. It has been a pioneer in the expansion of kumi-daiko repertory, commissioning works from contemporary composers and incorporating performance arts from other cultures.
Japan is now home to more than 5000 kumi-daiko ensembles, many of which have evolved in proximity to pre-existing drumming traditions see Japan §VII, 4. The tendency of kumi-daiko to incorporate from the latter rhythms, performance style and, not infrequently, entire pieces has given rise to the issue of control and ownership of indigenous tradition.
Although kumi-daiko ensembles have been established in Germany, Britain, Australia and Brazil, the largest concentration of these groups outside Japan is found on the North American Pacific coast. Japanese ritual drumming was established in the region by the first influx of Japanese migrants in the early 1900s. In 1969 the first North American kumi-daiko ensemble formed in San Francisco, swiftly followed by rival traditions in San Jose and Los Angeles. In these early years ensembles strived to model performance on that of their Japanese counterparts. However, as the art form has matured, personal links with Japan have weakened, leading to stylistic divergence and culminating in the emergence of a distinct Californian tradition.
JANE ALASZEWSKA