TaikoProject comes home to perform in LA’s Little Tokyo

Another reason I wish we lived in LA: TaikoProject, the acclaimed genre-expanding taiko group based in LA, brings its talents home to perform its "Rhythmic Relations 2011" show this weekend outdoors at Noguchi Plaza in front of the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center in Little Tokyo, 244 S. San Pedro St., Los Angeles. There will be two performances, at 2 and 7:30 pm; tickets are $30 - $35 + service charges. Tickets are available online at www.jaccc.org or by phone (213) 680-3700. The group will be joined by Bombu Taiko, Kitsune Taiko and Loma Pacific Taiko, and the show will feature special guest Ryutaro Kaneko (former Artistic Director for the superstar Japanese taiko group Kodo). You may have caught TaikoProject this week on "The Voice," the terrific NBC singing competition show (we're cheering for Dia Frampton, and not just because she's Asian American -- hapa Korean). You may have also seen TaikoProject way back in 2006, playing on a Mistubishi car commercial (I remember at the time, thought it was totally cool to see a taiko group on a commercial). Here's how TaikoProject describes itself: