MATSURIZA JAPANESE TRADITIONAL TAIKO DRUMMERS

Matsuriza means “festival” in Japanese. “Taiko” means drum. The principles of Matsuriza are “Shin” (to develop pure spirit), “Gi” (improve skills), “Tai” (keep healthy body) and “Rei” (observe proper decorum). As in many Oriental philosophies, “mind and body” are important for a man’s whole well-being. Matsuriza Japanese Taiko Drummers build focus; develop a habit of caring for each other in teamwork; shape up by building physical strength; and communicate without words but through sounds and minds.

Music began with man banging an object like a drum. The discovery of different rhythms through the drum beat started the history of music. The history of Taiko goes back many centuries. It began in religious ceremonies in shrines and changed throughout the years. Drums were used in festivals to pray for rain and by soldiers in battlefields. Since the ancient times, people expressed the sounds of nature, such as wind, water, fire and so on with taiko.

Matsuriza (a leading taiko group in Japan) migrated from Sukeroku-daiko and is influenced by leader Yoshihisa Ishikura of Kanto-abare-daiko. Playing traditional music, as well as self-composed arrangements, they performed in Walt Disney World and various countries for cultural events.

In 1983, Takemasa Ishikura started to perform as a member of Kanto-abare-daiko led by Yoshihisa Ishikura at the EPCOT Center Japan pavilion of Walt Disney World. In 1998, leader Yoshihisa returned to Japan to resume his team there. Takemasa Ishikura took the over the leadership and formed Matsuriza Japanese Traditional Taiko Drummers. Matsuriza continues to perform at EPCOT Japan pavilion every week.

Yuko Ishikura, one of drummers, also plays the shakuhachi, which is a Japanese end-blown flute that is traditionally made of bamboo, as an intro to some of their musical arrangements. It is an interesting musical contrast before the percussive drums.

Mobile International Festival is fortunate to have Takemasa Ishikura and Matsuriza Japanese Traditional Taiko Drummers perform since 1997. MIF is proud to be the only venue where they perform in Lower Alabama. They have a following of fans who attend the festival just to see them perform. Matsuriza drummers have fascinated children and adults alike with their precision, discipline, expertise, professionalism and showmanship when they perform. After their performance, they share with the public the historical background of taiko, Matsuriza and shakuhachi..

Experience Japan and its culture. Come and see Matsuriza Japanese Traditional Taiko Drumming at Mobile International Festival.

On the web:
http://www.matsuriza.com

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PUPPET ARTS THEATRE

Based in Jackson Mississippi, the Puppet Arts Theatre is a professional puppet theatre touring company. The company offers a variety of entertaining as well as educational programs introducing children to good literature, classical music, theatre and puppetry. In some of these plays, children from the audience join the professional cast on stage and perform with the puppets.

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GET RHYTHM WITH JOHN SCALICI

John Scalici is a nationally-recognized drum circle facilitator, speaker, musician, clinician and master teaching artist. He has been featured in DRUM! Magazine as one of the busiest and most successful drum circle facilitators in the U.S. In 2003, John signed on as an artist endorser and clinician with Remo drum company and Vic Firth drumstick company. John is also an artist-in-residence with the Alabama State Council on the Arts. He is the only drummer/percussionist to be awarded the highly competitive Artist Fellowship Grant.

John has been a featured performer with the Alabama Ballet, Natyananda Dance of India and Southern Danceworks. He achieved national acclaim in 2000 with his Memphis-based blues rock band, “junkyardmen”, who were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Blues Album. He has been a featured presenter at the American Music Therapy national conference, National Association of Campus Activities, Yamaha Music Training (Tokyo, Japan) and the Society for Arts in Healthcare National Conference. He is on the Percussive Arts Society Recreational Music Making Committee. John has facilitated rhythm-based events in Alabama and throughout the US. He is the founder and owner of Get Rhythm!(R), an interactive, experiential-based program for team building, schools, stress management and special events of all kinds.

The mission of all Get Rhythm!(R) programs is to empower its participants to discover the universal language of rhythm. All individuals are rhythmic and need only to have it uncovered from within. Get Rhythm!(R) programs, whether educational, stress relieving, or team building seek to facilitate this discovery so that a group of people may become empowered to play, think, and live more rhythmically with the world around them. The drumming circle is the vehicle for the journey! MIF invites everyone to experience Get Rhythm!(R) at the festival this year.

On the web:
http://www.getrhythmprograms.com
http://www.myspace.com/johnscalici
http://www.remo.com/portal/artists/4882/John_Scalici.html

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In 2000, they were invited to appear in a circus in Detroit, Michigan, and six of the troupe ventured to America, and from there, says troupe leader Kalama Ngumbao, “America opened its arms to us.” Their coast-to-coast bookings include everything from state fairs and casinos to NBA halftime shows in Boston, Dallas and Indianapolis and all through the USA.

Says Kenya Acrobatic, Muga Kisambu: “American audiences are great. They seem so amazed by us.”

Watching these Kenyans in action, one quickly understands why. The Kenya Boys are, well, wizards in the art of acrobatic construction – specifically human towers, all of them clever, complex and colossal.

With a mixture of mirth and bravado, they literally hurl themselves into their work, swiftly erecting five- and six-man structures with names like “The Hilton,” “Star Full,” “The Airplane” and “Sudanese.” Along the way come classical flips and dance steps commemorating their Bantu heritage, each performed, in the Wizard manner, at warp speed.

Comments Kombe Charo: “I guess you could say we’re six young guys with energy to spare.” Right. And talent to burn, joy to share – enough to make one say, “I’ve seen everything!”

"We will bring a new style of Bantu and Massai acrobatics to america", says Kenya boys Muga Kisambu. "Our new style will knock the socks off americans" he continues.

The Kenya Safari Acrobats are known to perform and bring repeat crowds at each show. "Acrobatics is our life", says Karanja Kamuri. "We put 100 percent into each and every show performed.

If you are looking for a show that will astound you.. make you smile... make you laugh.. wow you.. then you need to check out this amazing group of acrobats.

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JOHN JARAMILLO

The Aztec civilization is the ancient history of Mexico. Learn about it through the dances of John Jaramillo, a performing artist since 1983. He has performed regionally, nationally and internationally and taught at theatres, festivals and throughout the United States like the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian in New York and the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque to name a few. In 1996, John produced “Old Man Kokopeli”, a work inspired by his Pueblo Indian American heritage. It is a masked theatre and puppetry production and was featured as part of the famed NYC International Fringe Festival in 1997. He also created and tours ”Aztec Dance Mexico”, “Flamenco Dance of Spain”, and the “Pueblo World – Old Man Kokopeli and Stories from Southwest” to universities, schools, libraries, senior centers, festivals, art centers and cultural centers.

John’s education and training include drama, visual art, architecture, ballet, modern, jazz and flamenco from the University of New Mexico, Institute of American Indian Arts, College of Santa Fe and Amor de Dios School of Dance in Madrid, Spain. He was an artist-in-residence in many cities around the United States and continues to teach at various schools in the South. He has a Study Guide for Teachers which can be accessed at http://johnjaramillo.com/AztecStudyguide.html.

John is a well-rounded performing artist and Mobile International Festival is proud to have him perform Aztec dances for everyone, especially the students and children.

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ALIANZA FLAMENCA

(info coming)

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Atlanta storyteller and puppeteer Akbar Imhotep returns to the Mobile International Festival. He is famous for his “Uncle Remus” tales and African folklore. Mr. Imhotep engages and fascinates the audience with his tales to the accompaniment of his African drum. He tells his stories with his puppets as he talks about legends and enchantment of folktales from our country and the African nations. Akbar creates his own puppets. His storytelling meets the educational mission of the festival because of its universal appeal to children and adults. Come meet him in the Storytelling and Puppet Theatre!

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GIOVANNI DE CHIARO

Giovanni DeChiaro is John DeChiaro to Mobile International Festival, who has performed now for the festival for seven years. He has a loyal following of fans who listen to him play musical pieces from Pachelbel to Schubert or Bach or Rachmaninoff or Tarrega to Scott Joplin and many more. He is a versatile virtuoso!

John debuted in 1978 in a Carnegie Recital Hall performance which brought a rave notice from the New York Times. He has performed in many parts of the world including for the late Pope John Paul II in the Vatican, Rome, and former President Bill Clinton at a special Christmas function at the White House. In 1989, NASA commissioned him to compose an original classical guitar number for the Shuttle Space Program. He also recorded two nationally televised special programs for the PBS Network. His recordings of Scott Joplin can be heard nationally over the National Public Radio’s syndicated program, “Performance Today.”

John is also a teacher. He taught at the College of St. Elizabeth in Convent Station, NJ, while pursuing his own graduate studies at New York University. He was on the music faculty of University of Southern Mississippi. Right now he teaches at the Louisiana State University. He is the music director of St. Martin Catholic Church, Mary Mother of Jesus Catholic Church in Central, Louisiana and of the Carlow Choir, a vocal ensemble composed of 155 people who will be singing for Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican in Rome in October 2008.

In addition to his teaching and performing schedule, John arranges and transcribes for the guitar. He has published a five volume set of teaching materials and numerous transcriptions with the Willis Music Company of Cincinnati, OH. Mel Bay Publications of Pacific, MO, has released his transcriptions of several Spanish Classics in an anthology entitled, “Treasures of the Spanish Guitar”.

With John’s accomplishment and love for teaching, it is no wonder that he enjoys being part of Mobile International Festival where he can share his classical guitar music with everyone. He will be playing at the Lobby Stage and Storytelling Room where he can talk about his techniques.

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MITHRIL

Since its first concert in 2003, Mithril has become one of the most sought after Celtic/World music groups on the concert series scene. The band’s unique progressive style has its roots in traditional Celtic music but moves far beyond that, weaving such diverse influences as American folk, classical and Middle Eastern melodies into their full tapestry of sound.

With Tom Morley on fiddle, bouzouki and tenor banjo, Andra Bohnet on Irish flute, whistle and Celtic harp, Ben Harper on guitar, and David Hughes on percussion and keyboards, Mithril has been featured on arts and concert series and festivals throughout the Southeast and beyond. As guest artists with Mobile Symphony, Mithril set an all-time attendance record for a pops series and have since performed as guest artists with symphonies in Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Florida, Oklahoma, Michigan, and California.

The members of Mithril have embraced Celtic music with passion and enthusiasm and have traveled from Nova Scotia to Ireland to play and research it. Collectively and individually, they have studied with and performed alongside some of the most, well-respected musicians in the Celtic music world.

Mithril has five CDs on Flying Frog Music including their newest release, Tangled Up. For additional information (and to learn the word origins of the name Mithril), visit www.mithril.us.

Mobile International Festival is proud to have Mobile’s own - Mithril perform again this year.

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MCGUIRE IRISH BAND

McGuire's Pipes and Drums was formed in 1988 under the sponsorship of McGuire's Irish Pub and Restaurant. The band was begun and led by Mr. Jack Dasinger until his tragic death in July of 2003. Currently under the leadership of Pipe Major Wayne Willis and Drum Major Michael Zipay, this group of dedicated pipers and drummers are renowned throughout the southeast for their crisp military appearance, their precision marching and their wide repertoire of music, ranging from traditional Scottish/Irish tunes to classic show tunes and everything in between.

The band has performed at every major Highland game and Celtic festival in the southeast and has won top band honors in their category at games in Alabama, Stone Mountain, Orlando, and Sarasota. In addition they have played for the Vice President of the United States, the Secretary of the Navy, and appeared with Charlton Heston, Danny Glover, Gerald Rainey, plus others, at the St. Anne's Roundup. They have been featured in nationwide broadcasts on ESPN, The Discovery Channel, The Travel Channel, and CBS.

On the web:
http://www.mcguirespipeband.com

DOWN LOA

(info coming)

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Tim Morris playing
the Didgeridoo
at the 2007 Festival

TIM MORRIS

Tim Morris has been playing the didgeridoo for eight years. The didgeridoo is an instrument native to the Aborigine people of Northern Australia. Simply put, the didgeridoo is a hollow log played like a trumpet which is used in ceremonies by the Aborigines who are natives of Australia.

Tim, a native of Mobile, holds a degree in Creative Writing from the University of South Alabama. He is married and has two beautiful little girls.

An avid hand percussionist, he discovered the didgeridoo through various recordings and instantly fell in love with the instrument. He co-founded the Mobile-based spoken word/world music ensemble Karamawen in 2000, in which he brought the didgeridoo to the forefront. Now residing in Atlanta, GA, Tim has recorded with new age musicians Junius and Winterhawk and has collaborated with alternative underground cellist, Diana Obscura.

Tim returned to perform in MIF in 2003 and 2004 as a solo didgeridoo artist after an appearance in 2001 with Karamawen and in 2005 with Cavan Cross Celtic Band. He will be back this year playing the didgeridoo again at the Lobby Stage and in other cultural exhibit booths.

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ACCORDIONIST JULIE COUNCIL

One hears the accordion and you are easily transported to Europe. You can be in a platz in Switzerland or Germany or a piazza in Italy or a plaza in Spain. Or, you can be dancing the polka in Poland or Slovakia. Or be serenaded in a café in France. The accordion has a long history associated with international music!

Julie Council has performed for the festival in the past. She also performs in many venues in New Orleans, Slidell and Houma (Louisiana) and Mobile, Daphne and Elberta (Alabama). She was at the Italian Village during the New Orleans World’s Fair. She has toured Northern France as an accompanist for Komenka Ethnic Dance Ensemble. She has performed in the pit orchestras for “Fiddler on the Roof” and the “Carnival” productions and in various Oktoberfests. Julie is happy to accompany her grandsons in their musical endeavors, too.

Two years ago, Julie was part of the Jubilee German Band that played oom-pa-pa music at the festival. This year, Julie is playing solo with her accordion. Follow the sound of the accordion, and you know that you are in Europe. Julie will be strolling with her accordion playing European music in different countries in the European corridor and rooms of Mobile International Festival.

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ARIK CHRISTOPHER

(info coming)

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MEMBER ENTERTAINMENT

The Mobile International Festival boasts some exceptionally talented people. Check back soon to see who is lined up for entertainment at the 2009 festival.