Kossan, a traveling Zen monk and sanshin player, has performed in the NYC subway system, Japanese bars and restaurants, and was recently featured on the New York Times blog. His ensemble, Kossan Matsuri, performs Okinawan folk songs and includes male and female vocals, sanshin, and chindon (Brian, Kaori, and Wynn).
We’ll be performing at 7pm on Saturday 6/28 in Chinatown, Columbus Park Pavilion.
Kossan, Kaori and I will be performing Okinawan folk songs at Suibi, a remarkable Okinawan restaurant in the East 50s. Two sets starting at 7:30pm and 9pm Saturday. Come join the fun!
SUIBI
232 E 53rd St
Btwn 2nd & 3rd Ave
Phone: 212-935-1443
Take the E, V, or 4, 6 to 53rd and Lex.
KIOKU will be performing at the renowned Vision Festival, held at the Clemente Soto Velez Center on 107 Suffolk. Here’s the lineup for Saturday afternoon:
Saturday, June 14: AFTERNOON at the Milagro
1:00pm Poetry Reading: Hila Ratzabi, Jake Marmer, TBA
2:00pm Jeff Arnal Trio with Gordon Beeferman (p), John Dierker (ts, bcl).
3:00pm Nabaté Isles’ Imagination with David Gilmore (g), Sam Barsh (keys), Jaimeo Brown (dr).
4:00pm Kioku. Wynn Yamami (taiko, perc), Ali Sakkal (saxes), Christopher Ariza (el).
5:00pm Mazz Swift featuring James Peter Lee and Vernon Reid
Review from www.allaboutjazz.com: An unorthodox ensemble under the name Kioku proved the stand-out of the afternoon with an intriguing blend of oriental sonorities, free jazz and ambient noise. Comprising Wynn Yamami (percussion), Ali Sakkal (alto, percussion) and Christopher Ariza (live electronics), they attracted attention from the off when rattling electronics and percussion gave way to noise reminiscent of a railway station concourse, before Sakkal debuted his passionate raw-toned alto. Yamami’s measured taiko drumming was goosed by funkily rhythmic belches from laptop, before Sakkal erupted with another spirited outing of hoarse cries. A change of pace ensued with the slow-burning atmospherics derived from Sakkal’s sustained long tones against a backdrop of trickling water and gongs in an excellent set.
KIOKU at Vision Festival
Kossan, Bill, and I will be performing Okinawan folk songs at Suibi, a remarkable Okinawan restaurant in the East 50s. Two sets starting at 7:30pm and 9pm Saturday. Come join the fun!
SUIBI
232 E 53rd St
Btwn 2nd & 3rd Ave
Phone: 212-935-1443
Take the E, V, or 4, 6 to 53rd and Lex.
We’ll be heralding the first movie in the Chinatown Sunset Cinema Series, with free films scheduled throughout the summer. We start playing at 7pm, and as the sun sets, they’ll start the movie Nana. sponsored by AAARI and Chinatown Partnership LDC, with special thanks to Antony Wong!
Update: We had a great time in Chinatown and we managed to make the Sing Tao Daily News.
