A master of the taiko drum, Joji Hirota was born in northern Japan, where as a child he was profoundly influenced by the legendary percussionist Itto Oba. Eventually relocating to London, he began exploring a fusion of Eastern and Western instrumentation on solo efforts including Rain Forest Dream, additionally teaming with keyboardist Pol Brennan and flautist Guo Yue for 1993's Trisan. The Gate, an album inspired by the recent deaths of Hirota's father and drum teacher, followed in 1999. ~ Jason Ankeny