Kenny Endo 45^th Anniversary Tour Breaking through Tradition to Innovation

Members who give $500+ annually receive 10% off concert tickets.

2022 Concert Series sponsored by

Please note, we require that audience members either be vaccinated or have a negative COVID test within 72 hours prior to the performance.
Proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test result will be required for entry and may include the following options: a vaccination card (or photo), a digital record within an app, an official immunization record, or documentation of a negative test result.

His ability to interweave . . . traditional taiko style with . . . jazz drumming has enabled him to create an incredibly dynamic style of performing that captivated the audience.

—The Grateful Web

Kenny Endo has probably taken taiko the farthest among Americans.

—Natural History

Kenny Endo stands at the vanguard of taiko as one of the leading contemporary percussion and rhythm performers in North America and Japan. For 45 years, Endo has led the way in this Japanese style of drumming in the U.S. and celebrates with his 2022 tour Breaking through Tradition to Innovation: Kenny Endo’s Taiko Journey.

As a jazz percussionist and an early innovator in taiko, Endo possesses an adventurous spirit that stretches the genre, incorporating funk, jazz, Afro-Cuban, and Hawaiian influences while remaining firmly grounded in tradition. His performances are nuanced, brilliant and exciting.

Endo tours with his Contemporary Ensemble, comprising taiko, vibraphone, drums, ukulele, flute, koto, and shamisen. The 45th anniversary tour features prominent artists and longtime collaborators Kaoru Watanabe, flutes; Abe Lagrimas, vibes, drums, and ukulele; and Sumie Kaneko, koto and shamisen.