Kodo is a traditional Japanese drumming troupe that may be the most famous drum group in the world. They’ve been highly active since the early 1980’s and have a huge performing schedule the world over. Watching Kodo live is like watching a Broadway stage show. The group is very well organized, very precise and very disciplined.

The Kodo live show comes in different incarnations and features many different members. I remember seeing a smaller version of the group play at my university some years back. If you have the chance, I would recommend seeing Kodo play with as large an ensemble as possible for as long as possible. They are that good and that entertaining of a group, that more is always best with Kodo.

Their drumming tradition, their strict discipline in training, in appearance and performance has existed for thousands of years in Japan. Even though Kodo is steeped in this tradition, that doesn’t mean they have fallen behind the times. The band adds a few touches of a modern vibe to their stage show. Their show today featured a section with a rock drum set blended together with the traditional taiko drums to create a unique more modern sound overall.

Throughout the set various players also performed on a variety of Japanese instruments like the lute, the koto, the shakuhachi and more. It’s interesting to see that these players are skilled on instruments beyond the drum and pay respect to many Japanese musical traditions.

Despite a few deviations in our hour long main stage set, it was evident that the Japanese drum in different shapes and sizes was the star of the show. Kodo plays with a non stop intensity and ferocity while drumming that watching them live is something akin to watching professional athletes perform.

The hour set was great and left me longing for more, which shouldn’t be a problem as Kodo has been known to play hundreds of shows a year. If you haven’t seen Kodo before, and you may be in the minority these days, I’d urge you to check them out, it’s an experience that’s not to be missed.