Kaz Mogi

Kaz Mogi is a taiko player and percussionist in Los Angeles who began drumming in 1994, eventually earning an associate’s degree in percussion performance from Musicians Institute in Hollywood and a bachelor’s in music education from Cal State Long Beach’s Bob Cole Conservatory.

A lifelong drummer, he started in middle school after seeing a Metallica video, which led him through high school band and a decade-long tenure as Lakewood High’s drum coach. He later reconnected with his heritage through taiko, becoming a regular collaborator with ensembles like TAIKOPROJECT, Bataré, and East LA Taiko.

He has performed with Coldplay (“Princess of China” video), the Battleship soundtrack, Grammy-winning band Quetzal, and on Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender and the video game Ghost of Tsushima. In late 2024, he played a 48-inch odaiko at the Game Awards, broadcast to millions, which he calls “rock-star stuff.”