Tadakatsu Sonny Kawano, Taiko Master, is a Japanese drummer from Kyoto, Japan. He had started drumming with Arashi-daiko, a local community group in Montreal, in 1992. After one year of experience, he decided to go back and study with masters of folklore style dancing, drumming, and singing from various places all around Japan. In 1996, he got his own equipments, and started performing for various events, fashion shows, or TV productions. In 1998, he formed performing group LAIKA with members among Kyoto and Osaka area. Since then, LAIKA performed with Samul-Nori,Korean drumming and dancing group, or Djembe Ensemble,west African drumming and dancing group, or as live sound effect troop for theatre plays. He also had taught 9th grade students at junior high and music teachers Japanese drum by request from the board of education in Osaka from 2000 to 2002. He has started performing in Quebec both as a solo player and a group since 2005.
Past performance in Quebec
2005 --- College d'Alma
2006 --- Expo Quebec, Centraide
2007 --- La fete des chants de marines, Cirque du Soleil, Domain Forge, Cegep de Ste-Foy