"I have seen them in concert dance with their drums, even the ones that seem to dwarf drummers, and that dance makes you know in your heart how drummers heal our souls and renew our spirit," Norman Weinstein, The Beat
"From the first drumming, through hilarious Japanese folk tale, to the sensitive discussions with each company member on empowerment and prejudice, Portland Taiko sets a new paradigm for meaningful art experience," Leslie Lacktman, VanWezel Performing Arts Hall
"Their evening public performance was extremely well received, and
the ticket sales exceeded our goals," Ric Waldman, Capitol Center for
the Arts
"The moment the performers set foot on the stage, it was clear that
we were about to witness something powerful. We lived their music with them
as they made us laugh, dance, clap and cheer," Beth Norris, The
Western News
"Only a curmudgeon or a corpse could watch Portland Taiko and remain unmoved," Cerinda Survant, The Oregonian
"In the midst of a Midwest blizzard, Portland Taiko rocked the small Ohio town of Oberlin. For many in the audience, this was their first experience with taiko, and old and new alike were ignited with the passion of taiko fever," Yukiko Ebara, Oberlin College
"Portland Taiko creates a language that takes past experiences, history and memory and transforms it into sound song and movement that will echo into the future. It was a hot night in Osaka," Chika Sarota, Okinawa Times
"Their performance at times felt more like a Broadway show, demonstrating
that the taiko, which crossed the Pacific to the U.S. over four decades
ago, has transformed into something that can truly be called American taiko,"
Brandon Jiro Hayashi, The Hawai'i Herald
"Portland Taiko is emerging as an innovator in taiko music," Bob
Edwards, National Public Radio
"Portland Taiko again demonstrated discipline, dedication, vast reserves
of creative energy, and an unbridled expression of the sheer joy of beautiful
drumming,"
James McQuillen, The Oregonian