"Oroshi Kawaru" (edited sample) from EDIFY
Behind "EDIFY"
ZEROtaiko's new album "EDIFY" is now available! Produced by Michael Crain, here are the musicians who
made this music come to life.
(click on pictures to view slide show in new window)
Atsumi - Co-Founder, Taiko
Atsumi began her entertainment career as a child working in print and television. During this time she studied piano, woodwind instruments and Taiko. Her musical career soon blossomed and by the time she was 14 years old, Atsumi was headlining venues across the United States and Caribbean. She studied taiko with Sensei Ishikura and performed full time with Matsuriza for many years. In 2000, Atsumi co-founded ZEROtaiko and has since been on major television networks across the globe as a featured drummer and spokesperson. She has worked for Disney World both in the USA and Japan and is also a member of Rhythm Extreme, Corporate America's #1 Rhythmic Performance Troupe, under the direction of award winning choreographer Fred Tallaksen. A musician “since the womb”, Atsumi lives to inspire, motivate and heal others though the universal language of music.
Dru Betts - Drums, Percussion
Dru Betts started playing piano at age eight and switched to drums at age ten, continuing to play drums through high school. He graduated summa cum laude with a degree in music performance from Berklee College of Music in Boston MA. Living in central Florida for the past fifteen years, Dru works as a freelance musician playing a wide variety of music. Dru has had the pleasure of working with artists such as guitarist Steve Morse (The Dregs/Deep Purple), Broadway singer Idina Menzel. saxophonist Jeff Kashiwa (The Rippingtons), jazz guitarist Larry Coryell, jazz pianist Kenny Drew Jr., ZEROtaiko, the boy band O-Town (from NBC's Making the Band), and comedians Don Rickles, Regis Philbin and Joan Rivers.
Jill Daley - Violin
Jill Daley began studying piano at the age of three and violin at the age of six with her mother. She received a Bachelor's Degree in Violin Performance from the State University of New York at Buffalo, and attended graduate school at Boston University's School for the Arts under the tutelage of Peter Zazofsky. As winner of the Cameron Baird Concerto Competition, Jill was soloist with the UB Symphony. She has been a featured soloist with the Clarence Festival Orchestra, ZEROtaiko, McDonald's Global Conference, Disney's Magic Music Days, and regularly performed as a strolling violinist for Disney's Intimate Weddings while living in Orlando and participated in the national tours of "The Producers," "The King & I" and "The Light in the Piazza." Currently residing in Toronto, Jill works as a pianist at Canada's National Ballet School and performs as a violinist and pianist at events across the GTA.
Michael Crain -
Piano, Keyboards, Programming
Michael Crain is an award winning composer for television and advertising with clients as diverse as Disney, NBC, Fox, Miller Brewing, & McDonalds. His work as producer, composer, arranger, programmer and keyboardist has been heard on recordings and live shows by artists such as The Backstreet Boys, N’SYNC, Sean Kingston, LFO, The Rippingtons, Jeff Kashiwa, Brian Culbertson, Eric Darius, ZEROtaiko and many others. Michael’s current projects includes production and remixes for major labels and independent artists. Michael has several releases under the name Pangaea Projekt, a cross cultural fusion mixing instruments and voices from around the world with electronica to form an “Ethnic Chill” sound.
Sumio Miyashita - Founder
Sumio Miyashita was born and raised in Miyazaki, Japan. He began his muiscal career in the states in his early twenties, living in Los Angeles, California. He was signed several times with bands and record labels, both in Japan and the U.S., with musical styles taking full range of both traditional and contemporary Japanese, as well as American jazz, blues and rock to name a few. He founded ZEROtaiko with the vision to create a unique sound to “take people places they have never been before”, looking at music as a journey for people to look within. Inspired by an array of artists from Asia to America and all musical genres in between, Sumio has focused on a sound unlike any other, fusing his roots with modern instruments and performance. Though Sumio does not currently perform with ZEROtaiko, he remains a part of the family. ZT looks forward to his return to the stage!