San Jose Taiko x The Bangerz to Perform at Harris Center, 3/14

San Jose Taiko x The Bangerz is a collaboration born on the streets of downtown San Jose's South First Area (SoFA) District in 2010 as part of the SubZero Festival. The combination of the DJ's powerful digital electronica with the heart-pounding organic pulse of taiko (a Japanese form of percussion using large drums) explore the connections of rhythm, movement, and energy at Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom.

The San Jose Jazz proclaims, "Merging the sheer power of massive drums, struck in entrancing and intense unison, with future-forward electronic / hip-hop sonics, these two groups have crafted a celebration of music that leans forward while honoring a rich tradition with deep local roots." The two groups performing together create a unique juxtaposition, as one Bangerz members describes it, like "chocolate and peanut butter." Each group has a distinct flavor and sound. You have the swagger of the DJs contrasted with the controlled seriousness of the drummers- yet they complement each other perfectly.

San Jose Taiko x The Bangerz present Ji: A Common Pulse will perform Saturday, March 14, 2015 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are priced at $21-$34; Premium $45; Students with ID $12. Tickets are available online at www.harriscenter.net or from the Harris Center Ticket Office at 916-608-6888 from 10 am to 6 pm Monday through Saturday, and two hours before show time. Parking is included in the price of the ticket. Harris Center is located on the west side of Folsom Lake College campus in Folsom, CA, facing East Bidwell Street.

Since 1973, San Jose Taiko (SJT) has been mesmerizing audiences with the powerful, spellbinding, and propulsive sounds of the taiko. SJT has broadened this historical art form into a style that joins the traditional rhythms of Japanese drumming with other world rhythms, including African, Brazilian, Filipino, Latin, and jazz, bridging many styles, while still resonating with the Asian soul in America. SJT has collaborated with internationally renowned Asian performing artists such as Kodo, Ondekoza, Eitetsu Hayashi, Michiko Akao, Oedo Sukeroku, Osuwa Taiko, and Miyarabi Taiko. SJT has also collaborated with artists from other disciplines, including The Bangerz, Brenda Wong Aoki, Mark Izu, Kenny Endo, Eth-Noh-Tec, American Conservatory Theater, George Coates Performance Works, San Jose Repertory Theatre, The San Jose Museum of Art, Abhinaya Dance Company, Hiroshima, Jon Jang, Keith Terry and Crosspulse, Anthony Brown, Marco Lienhard, Qi-Chao Liu, PressGang, and Michael Sasaki.

Recognized for its artistic and managerial excellence, San Jose Taiko received both Advancement and Challenge Grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Chevron Award for Excellence, and grants from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and the San Francisco Foundation. The California Arts Council and the Arts Council Silicon Valley have honored the company with commendations for community leadership in fostering cultural and ethnic diversity in the arts. Most recently, founding directors Roy and PJ Hirabayashi were recognized as 2011 National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellows.

The Bangerz, a six-person production supergroup made up of DJs Goldenchyld, Replay, Nick Ngo, Cutso, Squareweezy, and G-Wrex, have evolved over time. Born and raised in San Jose, the crew met as DJs in high school. They quickly made a name for themselves, winning multiple turntablist competitions and crossed paths with the then unknown dance crew, the Jabbawockeez. Before long, the Jabbawockeez were turning to The Bangerz to create all their original music - something that was almost unheard of in 2003 - and kept them close while they went on to win MTV's America's Best Dance Crew and set up their first Vegas show, Mus.i.C. The score was produced entirely by The Bangerz and charted right behind Daft Punk's Tron on iTunes upon its release.

Combining DJ skill with slick production that spans multiple genres from house, trance, and dubstep to hip-hop, pop, and R&B, their innovative approach has propelled The Bangerz to numerous career highlights collectively and individually, including group member Replay producing tracks for Diplo, Kelis, and Chris Brown. Their impressive list of accomplishments include titles from the ITF (International Turntablist Federation) Western Hemisphere Team Championships, the DMC Regional Championships, Red Bull Thre3style National Finals, and scoring original music for The Simpsons video game, MTV's America's Best Dance Crew, and the Microsoft Surface commercials. The Bangerz have cultivated an international fan base and toured with artists across many different genres, including Afrika Bambaataa, The Clipse, ?uestlove of The Roots, Raekwon, Ghostface, Kid Koala and The Rapture, Z-Trip, and played alongside Major Lazer and Odd Future at festivals like New Orleans' Voodoo Fest. Last year, the group was solicited by the director of Warner Bros. Project X, to produce a track for their anything-goes party soundtrack. They are currently preparing to release their next album, the score to the second Jabbawockeez Vegas show, entitled PRiSM.

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