Kumiko Takara
Kumiko Takara | |
|---|---|
| Native name | 高良 久美子 |
| Genres | Jazz, free improvisation, contemporary music, stage music |
| Occupation(s) | Percussionist, composer, arranger |
| Instruments | Percussion, vibraphone, marimba, timpani |
| Associated acts | Akira Sakata, Kiyohiko Senba, Otomo Yoshihide, Hoppy Kamiyama, Taeko Onuki, UA, Orquesta Libre, Bondage Fruit, Warehouse, Vincent Atmicus, Orquesta Nudge! Nudge! |
Kumiko Takara (高良 久美子) is a Japanese percussionist and composer. She is known for her work on vibraphone, marimba and a wide range of percussion instruments, and has been active across jazz, free improvisation, contemporary music, theatre, film and opera.
Career
Takara studied percussion from an early age and graduated from the Department of Instrumental Music at the Tokyo University of the Arts.[1]
After graduation, she began performing in wind ensembles, chamber music, orchestras, musicals, and studio sessions.[1] She collaborated with a wide variety of musicians including Akira Sakata, Hoppy Kamiyama, Taeko Onuki, UA, Yadronka, and Chen Min (erhu).[1] According to Rhythm & Drums Magazine, she joined the "Haniwa-Dan" led by percussionist Kiyohiko Senba, which became a starting point for her band activities.[2][3]
She has been a member of experimental and jazz-related ensembles such as Bondage Fruit, Warehouse, Vincent Atmicus, Otomo Yoshihide’s New Jazz Orchestra (ONJO), Orquesta Libre, and Orquesta Nudge! Nudge!, appearing at both domestic and international festivals.[1]
Takara also works extensively in theatre and film. She has provided music for silent films, NHK television dramas, and stage productions including those of the Bungakuza theatre company and plays directed by Kōki Mitani.[1] Since 2007 she has been a member of Opera Theatre Konnyakuza, starting with the production Club Macbeth and later appearing in King Lear in 2024 at Kichijoji Theatre.[4]
She participated in the soundtrack of the NHK historical drama Idaten (2019).[5]
Film music
- Okinawa: Urizun no Ame (2015) – music performance[6]
- Bubuzuke Doudosu (2025) – co-composer with Yasuhiro Yoshigaki. The percussion-based soundtrack featured instruments such as steelpan, vibraphone, conga, and timpani, which were noted for adding "depth and color" to the narrative.[7]
Recordings and collaborations
Takara’s work has been documented in a number of international releases:
- She recorded Raids On The Unspeakable (2011) with Norwegian drummer Paal Nilssen-Love and Italian bassist Massimo Pupillo, credited on vibraphone and timpani.[8] A review on All About Jazz noted that her vibes added "openness and tenderness" to the recording.[9] The Jazz Mann described her prepared timpani and vibes as “essential ingredients” in the same trio recording.[10]
- She also appeared on recordings with Bondage Fruit, later discussed in international retrospectives on Japanese underground music such as *Pitchfork*.[11]
- She also contributed to Danish guitarist Martin Vognsen's project State Changes According to a Wind, released in 2009 on Jvtlandt, appearing on the companion release King Hussein Bridge with vibraphone, timpani, and percussion, alongside Yasuhiro Yoshigaki on drums; the recordings remain available on digital streaming platforms.[12]
Style and reception
Reviews in English-language jazz media have highlighted Takara’s contributions on vibraphone and timpani. All About Jazz praised her work on Raids On The Unspeakable for adding "openness and tenderness,"[9] while The Jazz Mann described her prepared timpani and vibes as “essential ingredients” in the same project.[10]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Member – Kumiko Takara". Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media (YCAM). Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ↑ "Profile". Rhythm & Drums Magazine (in 日本語). Rittor Music. October 2005. p. 22.
- ↑ "Profile". Rhythm & Drums Magazine (in 日本語). Rittor Music. July 2009. p. 51.
- ↑ "Opera "King Lear"" (in 日本語). Opera Theatre Konnyakuza. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ↑ "Kumiko Takara profile" (in 日本語). PJ Fukushima. 25 February 2019. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ↑ "Kumiko Takara". MOVIE WALKER PRESS (in 日本語). 6 June 2025. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ↑ "Film "Bubuzuke Doudosu" – Soundtrack". Rhythm & Drums Magazine Web (in 日本語). July 2025. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ↑ "Raids On The Unspeakable – Album page". All About Jazz. 2011. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Raids On The Unspeakable – Album Review". All About Jazz. 2011-09-25. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Jvtlandt – Feature". The Jazz Mann. 2011-01-24. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ↑ "Time Capsule – Bondage Fruit". Pitchfork. 2011-08-15. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
- ↑ "State Changes According to a Wind / King Hussein Bridge – Release information". Discogs. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
External links
- Official profile (Bubuzuke film site)
- Opera Theatre Konnyakuza official site
- Kumiko Takara – YCAM profile (English)
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