“SHIBUKI” was born in December 2016 as one of the clubs of the JGB. A Japanese Taiko artist, Kenji Furutate gave us an opportunity to start this group, and we also have a Taiko Drum artist, Joe Small as a great mentor, who is from Buffalo. We are all fun members, who are always enthusiastic about polishing our skills and enjoy drum’s rhythm.
This is a brand new club in the JGB, but it has already been very popular and it is becoming a star club of JGB! Now the number of members is increasing a little at a time.
If you would like to watch our past performances, click this link below. Most of us didn’t have any experience prior to joining. So, if you want to do it, you can do it, too!
At the Japanese Culture Day (Bunka-no-Hi) in 2017, we received a standing ovation, which was the first time in the history of the event.
Also SHIBUKI played with Robby Takac of Goo Goo Dolls and the Molice from Japan on the 5th Annual The Buffalo Cherry Blossom Festival Music Day on May 5th, 2018, and they impressed the audience.
SHIBUKI’s first and longest performance was at SUNY Brockport College on February 8 2019, where more than 100 people came to see our performance in spite of the bad weather.
SHIBUKI had its first performance at Elmwood Avenue Festival of Arts on August 24, 2019, which we had wished to have since we started the group. The audience was so excited about our performance and we had so many compliments.
Due to the pandemic of COVID-19, all live concerts were suspended or canceled for a while, but finally SHIBUKI came back to its concert activities in summer 2021. The Buffalo Silver Band invited SHIBUKI to corroborate with them and it became a wonderful concert, East Meets West at Slee Hall of UB. It was an extraordinary experience of SHIBUKI and the concert itself fascinated the audience so much.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRBrcIV6WAC_GXMli1MKYvQ
Several events in Buffalo have started inviting SHIBUKI to have performances and people in Buffalo are getting to know how wonderful Japanese drums are.
Please contact us if you are interested. No previous experience is necessary.
<SHIBUKI’s past performances>
February 8, 2019 Taiko Drum Ensemble at Brockport College
May 4, Saturday and 5, Sunday 6th annual The Buffalo Cherry Blossom Festival Music Day
August 24, Saturday, 2019 Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts
September 7, 2019 Music Is Art
August 15 2021 Annual Summer Festival at Griffis Sculpture Park September 11, 2021 MIA (Music Is Art)
October 9, 2021 East Meets West with the Buffalo Silver Band
Website: https://jgbshibuki.weebly.com
email : jgbshibuki@gmail.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRBrcIV6WAC_GXMli1MKYvQ
<SHIBUKI’s Future Performances>
4/29 and 4/30/2023 Japan Culture Day