Taiko to Tabla

The result of various collaborations at percussion festivals and the like, the Taiko to Tabla pairing has toured for a while, releasing a live album in 1998. This, however, is the first studio album to feature the duo of Pete Lockett and Joji Hirota. The core idea is to mix just what the group name implies: Indian and Japanese percussion. The duo moves beyond that for the most part however, incorporating instruments and ideas from African and Latin music just as commonly and capably. The album opens in full Japanese traditional mode, before moving into the real combination of taiko and tabla proper, which comes off surprisingly well, utilizing the heavy thump of the taiko to its full extent, but punctuated with a patter from the tabla. As the album progresses, there are touches of Cuban and Central African influences which work decently, but not quite as well as the performers' real fortes. By the end of the album, the duo has retouched upon their strong points (including more straightforward Japanese and some straightforward Indian bits) enough to make one forget about the less solid pieces. When professional percussionists make albums, the result is quite often not the most accessible album, and this is no exception in that regard. That said, Taiko to Tabla contains some very nice high points that make it worth a listen or three.