Embassy of Japan in SA presents the Japanese Jazz Music Festival

Dubbed Japanese Jazz Music Festival, the musical concert will feature world-renowned Japanese jazz trumpeter Terumasa Hino. The jazz maestro will be accompanied by his quintet and female Japanese Taiko drumming group Himiko. Terumasa will stage two combined concerts on Friday, 30 September at the Linder Auditorium in Johannesburg and on Monday, 3 October at the Cape Town ICC.

“The events seek to promote cultural understanding between South Africa and Japan through music and Japanese culture,” said the Embassy of Japan in a press release.

Terumasa began playing the trumpet when he was nine years old. His career as a musician started with a dance band in a U.S. Army camp. In 1967 he released his debut album titled Alone, Alone and Alone followed by a string of acclaimed albums. In the mid-1970s he moved to the U.S. where he performed and collaborated with some of the best jazz musicians in the country, notably Gil Evans. In 1989 he became the first Japanese artist to sign with the prestigious US jazz record label Blue Note Records, releasing albums including his first successful album titled Blue Struck. In 1991, he composed ‘Free Mandela’, a song that was inspired by the release of the late South African statesman Nelson Mandela.

The other act Taiko group was formed in 1990 and owes its name to the mysterious empress “Himiko” who ruled the Yamatai Kingdom in ancient Japan. The group creates an exciting world of drumming by adding style and glamour to their powerful and dynamic drum sound. Himiko has performed in many countries around the world.

Ticket prices are at R60 and R100 and are available at Computicket.