Kazuhiro - Percussion

Kazuhiro Itoh’s music has touched people from all walks of life. He has performed extensively at a wide array of venues, from New York’s prestigious Carnegie Hall to fan-packed Miami Arena on opening day for the NBA Playoffs. “There is a space within every heart that knows its infinite and expansive nature. I like to use my talents to allow listeners to open up to that space.”

Kazuhiro, a graduate from the University of Miami’s renowned Jazz Music and Studio Performance program, is the percussionist – the heartbeat – of HERE II HERE. His creative use of modern drums along with exotic, ethnic instruments like the deceptively simple, box-shaped cajon and the bellowing djembe instill an enchanting, rhythmic pulse to HERE II HERE’s hypnotic, other-worldly music. His exotic intrigue and passion for lyrical music has enabled him to infuse the HIIH sound with melodious instruments from all over the world, including the softly haunting Shakuhachi bamboo flute from Japan and the viola-like Chinese Erhu – along with other instruments from India, Peru, Africa, Spain, and the Middle East.

Prior to his soulful HERE II HERE adventure, Kazuhiro has explored music with various musical groups in a wide array of styles including hard rock, classical, jazz, ethnic, fusion, electronica, and pop. His formal music training has made him proficient in many instruments beyond percussion, including piano, guitar, ethnic flutes, trombone, and bass guitar. A baritone, he also sings back-up vocals with HERE II HERE. In addition to his primary work with HIIH, Kazuhiro also gives private music instruction and occasionally performs other gigs and at studio sessions, and also enjoys graphic design work. But his primary passion and inspiration is HERE II HERE.

“I remember being only in seventh grade when I decided to make music my life career, but it is now with HERE II HERE that I have finally come to feel aligned not just musically, but also with the message that is the radiance of Who I Am,” he says. He cites his music to be inspired by Yoko Kanno, Gustav Mahler, Tool, Bjork, Sting, John Mayer, spiritual teacher Gangaji, and the nature of who we all are, Love. “I feel at home on this planet and with HERE II HERE, and it is my intent to use this life stream to reveal awareness through the presence, music, and message of HERE II HERE.”