A lecture/demonstration featuring JASC Executive Director Jean Fujiu, Mr. Tatsu Aoki (Founder and Executive Producer of the Annual Chicago Asian American Jazz Festival and Artistic Director of JASC Tsukasa Taiko) and members of JASC Tsukasa Taiko, including Hide Yoshihashi (Founder and Head Instructor), Jason Matsumoto (Instructor) and Kioto Aoki (Performing Member).

Mr. Aoki spoke on the history and origins of the 2,000 year-old art form of taiko (Japanese drumming) and he and the other presenters spoke on their work and experiences as leaders in the Asian American community Chicago and how they view the cultural arts as a vital component of community building.

The 10th Annual Chicago Asian American Jazz Festival which preceded this event opened to a capacity crowd of 300.

For more information contact the Asian Improv aRts Midwest (AIRMW) organization at (708) 386 9349 or infoairmw@airmw.org; or visit their site: www.airmw.org.