"Forty Six & 2" (Tool Cover) by YOYOKA, Reaction/Analysis by Musician/Producer

[@chrisegbertky]

Prior to releasing this cover Yoyoka played this with a group of musicians at one of the ultimate Jam nights at the Whiskey a Go Go. No rehearsal. She nailed it. Naturally. On November 10th she played a concert in San Jose with the Ken Okada group. Standing room only. Outstanding concert. Outstanding musicians!

[@kikovazquez7277]

Writing this on 3/4/24, if you are in the L.A. area you can have the privilege of seeing and hearing Yoyoka play at the legendary "Baked Potato" tomorrow evening 3/5/24 for a 45 minute set with the jazz/fusion oriented Ken Okada group - I believe they'll be focused on playing compositions just or about to be released on a new album from Okada. She does have many videos with Okada and other jazz artists and she's become very accomplished, but many of her casual fans will not be as familiar with her playing jazz as they are with the vintage rock classics that make up the majority of her YT channel's video library. The venue is tiny, a great opportunity to see great musicians in an intimate setting. It's been around forever as a prime spot to enjoy elite live music just down the hill from Universal Studios on Cahuenga Blvd. in the Universal City/Studio City area. Google "Baked Potato" for all the details.

[@kikovazquez7277]

I should have included that the Okada/Yoyoka set will begin at 7PM and the doors open at 6PM. I'm noticing that they usually put Yoyo on as the first band on schoolnights and our fave 15 year old musical genius needs to get home and rest. Several bands will follow them up towards closing time, but you can see Ken Okada and Yoyoka and still make it an early night if you desire.

[@keithallpress9885]

Its been said before but you can't teach this. To adopt Danny Carey's sense of pocket and feel is one thing but to simultaneously produce a consummate musical interpretation with an apparent effortless grace makes this outstanding. Even if she did put her head down for the one handed roll. With her expanding musical repertoire it will be a treat when she eventually gets back into composing original music.

[@Rob-Yule]

She is working on an album as we speak!

[@richard345]

It's really good that she's so open and playing all sorts of music. She has tremendous confidence. I love it!

[@Rob-Yule]

Excellent reaction Jeff! Your insights are always welcome with respect to YOYOKA. Relaxed she is!

[@calnative4904]

Jeff, thank you so much for reacting to another Yoyoka cover. She is undoubtedly an awesome drummer and absolutely deserves any attention she gets. Yoyoka is my favorite drummer. 🐰🥁🐰🥁🐰

[@namorlam]

If you have a chance go see the covers she recorded at Whiskey-a-gogo, you can see that the musicians have enormous respect for her. Don't feel embarrassed to post other Yoyoka videos.

[@kjsdottor]

You mentioned her shirt... Did you know she played drums for 18 tracks over 5 games for FF pixel remasters?

[@StrateleStudios]

I did not. I’m just familiar with the game 😊

[@miguimau]

Smooth, solid, in pocket, pristine drummer. That´s Yoyoka. So talented.

[@namorlam]

Thank you Jeff, for presenting the Yoyoka covers because she is unique and with a talent that only she possesses, she is so inspiring.

[@andrewplumb6544]

Thank you KevinP for providing for this reaction. Rob Y will correct me but I believe the first time she played this was live with very little notice! The Final Fantasy tee is an advert really. For the remastered version she played the drum part for 18 tracks. 6:45

[@Rob-Yule]

Yes Live on Sept 26 as Chris noted above

[@scottyahney8565]

her rock is solid, her funk is insane !!!!!

[@Glen.Black.]

Great reaction Jeff, as always! On her live stream the other night, she was taking requests and was actually playing songs she had never heard of or listened to before. This is the first time she had attempted this. She did amazingly well! Not many drummers of any age could take on that challenge! Amazing young woman, as you know! You should drop in sometime just for fun! She responds to as many comments as possible and ALL Super Chats. btw... She did 18 drum tracks for the actual Final Fantasy game when she WAS 11! I always see all these legendary pro drummers, most of which have pained or frantic looks on their faces and are sweating profusely. Then there is YOYOKA. No sweating, playing in a state of zen, efficiently executing to perfection, all while she is thinking about what's for dinner (dinner comment she made in an interview once).....lol You might really enjoy the following. When you commented about "Look at her face, she's so focused", she did that same roll with ONE HAND! at 4:52 in this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/mnuok5eGhdiVa5Y. I'm not a musician, so forgive me if it's not the same exact roll, but if not it was at least very close. First time I had seen her do it with one hand.

[@Rob-Yule]

LOL - @Glen.Black - Jeff reacted to that video on my request! His face says it all at 5:30 ish on the reaction! kzbin.info/www/bejne/o4qspp-aqLJ4Z6c But, CRS!

[@namorlam]

Mr. Black, thank you for your comments which I enjoy reading carefully. So true what you say, I watched her cover of the song Achilles last stand by Led Zep and at the end of the song she was barely warm.

[@Glen.Black.]

@@namorlam You're welcome. Yes, that seems to be a common theme of all the great Japanese female drummers, Haruna, Akane, Murata, and many others. Now JUNNA might be a different story...lol

[@gbulmer]

Hi Glen. I think I've commented on the roll on "Hotel El Hot - Ken Okada Group ft. YOYOKA" you've pointed out before. I don't believe it is a one handed roll. I think it's one hand + one foot roll. If you play it very slowly you can hear notes neither hand is playing. Yoyoka is phenomenal enough that there's no need "for you to write cheques she can't cash". Best Wishes. ☮

[@Glen.Black.]

​@@gbulmer I was simply contrasting the fact that she did a similar thing with one hand vs. two hands. If you read my comment, I put all the disclaimers in there so I could avoid this type of criticism. It was not my intention to point out what each of her four limbs was doing. The comment was directed to Jeff specifically, to encourage him to go watch it himself. Simple as that. I'm here for fun, not to learn about music.

[@JoanneStevens-d1p]

Was playing this the other day, was not so hard, Then I woke up!

[@Hobodeluxe960]

This is not too difficult for her. She's on auto-pilot for 90% of it. Only 2 parts that I could tell she had to really focus. Would love to see her cover "The Pot" or Pneuma. If you really want to see her go off on the kit check out her cover of "Colorado Bulldog"

[@ericvalkenaar6276]

As always, ONE TAKE ! Look up her Led Zeppelin song. 8 years old!

[@tibetbill]

Yoyoka is more than on her way. The only thing in her way is her age and still needing to finish her education. But she is not letting that stop her either. It appears, besides school, she is the drummer in four different bands among other things, Ken Okada Group, Cali Three, Yellowjackets and the group she is playing with at the Whikey A GoGo. She still finds the time to put out epic covers.

[@Hobodeluxe960]

I think she's basically locked down the gig of the house drummer at Whiskey-a-g0-g0. Seen her with a lot of different singers.

[@tibetbill]

@Hobodeluxe960 I would agree with yoy. But for Yoyoka, she is accomplishing what she wants. Her ne is out there and she is getting recogniition. Now, when it comes to drumers, drummers are the last in line to get recognition. Frontmen are the ones who get the real recognition. She is aware of this. If you look at drummers who made it big, it was because they got off the drum throne. Like Don Henley or Phil Collins, with exceptions like if you look at Neil Pert, he was the group drummer and wrote most of their songs, but was not interested in being a frontman. Neil Pert was Rush. Jeff Porcaro was Toto, but he did not want to be a front man, but he was the glue which held Toto together. What is Toto today without Porcaro? Just a tribute band. But she is building a foundation for herself which will become a building by the time she is 18 or 21, we don't know if she will go to college, she says she will, but things change. She may continue on this course while she is in college. Or, the right offer or opportunity comes along after high school, what is she going to do? But, yes, by count, she is playing in or with at least four or five different bands and it seems like the Whiskey is her choice to be the house band for.

[@Hobodeluxe960]

@@tibetbill Hopefully she continues school and continues to broaden her horizons with other instruments too. Maybe delve into jazz drumming.

[@ljcor1899]

Incredible prodigy

[@chrisross-fd3fo]

Was a golf instructor til 2018..No teacher can beat natural development..I can hand a 5 yr old a club and within weeks his body structure has informed him...those movements soon become so ingrained that even if the 5yr old stopped after 5 years ..he would be more advanced than an adult who started at 30 and was 5 years in ..the brain body connection is meant to be wired at a fairly young age using those prime connections.. as a collective we are so lacking in giving very young people a chance that these prodigys have been given..Its difficult for a young hard working parent with limited time and resources to devote himself to starting a child in a discipline very early ..im talking by 2 yrs old early.parents of prodigys probably have not produced out of the womb someone special. They just had the means, time,and desire,to give that chance and intelligence to see that an early start is in the long run is an easier,cheaper, and less time comsuming venture than youd guess

[@MichaelIrons-d5v]

hands and feet of controlled fury, what a bad ass lady she is.

[@MichaelIrons-d5v]

thank you sir.

[@MichaelIrons-d5v]

thanks guys

[@BenjWarrant]

It's just a question now of which drum parts are going to challenge Yoyoka if she tries to cover them. At this time it doesn't look like any drummer is beyond her.

[@kdfox2007]

Yoyoka. Nuff said… 😳

[@ChrisGillespie-fe8fq]

Solid drumming!! Love it❤great tune to cover!!

[@jrlaudio]

I have always found Yoyoka similar to Danny Carey. She has that same pocket sensibility and the raw hand speed that Danny possesses. I feel she is very close to his level on a technical level. My hope is she can become as creative and innovative as Danny, once she develops her music theory and compositional skills at school. She still has a long road ahead in that aspect of her professional life. I'm not surprised this performance seemed effortless on her part. Best cover of this classic Tool song I have seen so far. Not surprising ... it is Yoyoka after all.

[@kurtschmidt9760]

I got another one for you. I think you will appreciate this one. It is home at last by yoyoka and is really good.

[@kurtschmidt9760]

You need to try colorado bulldog by her.

[@wayne7725]

Yoyoka is one with her instrument i agree 100 % always in the pocket which fits like a glove . Enjoyed your comments as always thanks Jeff.

[@tonivihantola3490]

My two favorite things Tool and Final Fantasy 😅❤

[@StrateleStudios]

Hahaha 👏👏👏

[@kjsdottor]

Thank you for your reaction.

[@davidhaney1394]

you pretty much summed it up , shes an amazing drummer , but , people tend to forget that this is down to her dedication and love of the instrument . like all great musicians , its down to the hours shes put in , nothing else .

[@edwardstatham7008]

Stunning. I hope Danny has seen this. Now do “Pneuma”.

[@mikeleathers7995]

You should check out her video for her own song " sparkling" !!!

[@reason3581]

Yes! and I recommend the "self drum cover" version

[@Ed-lz4jv]

WOW I remember her when she was playing Led Zep ! She is incredible !! specially Tower of power

[@ronfeggio]

OMG! She's getting better. How???

[@killiansred1000]

I wonder if Danny Carey has seen her cover.

[@stonedog1000]

Apparently Danny Carey subscribes to her channel; so cool!

[@daviddonnkin611]

Exquisite as normal x.

[@robert-wb3uc]

Brooke C. Version is good too when she was younger with her prom hair style. Theres a vid where she critiques her past vids she goes hard on herself.

[@kucchane47]

snare ghost note is uniform and beautiful.

[@patchitagain7373]

What an absolute pleasure to listen to... But watching her video, where's the joy and enthusiasm ??.. She plays like a robot...

[@davidhammond7724]

Interesting comment. I guess I can see where you're coming from, and might think the same if I wasn't familiar with her other videos. She looks almost bored during some of this, but I think that's a function of the piece, which is particularly technical and cerebral, or maybe just how she happened to be feeling that day. She has plenty of other videos where her joy and enthusiasm shine through. What she doesn't do is perform for the camera. It's all about the music with her.

[@thecarlob_007]

Phenomenal

[@edwardstatham7008]

Wow I hope Danny has seen this. Yoyoka is just stunning.

[@Bimbo_MN]

Hello Jeff! Great reaction man! Here to remind you about the Dirty Loops songs since you said to not let you forget about “Where’s The Beat”, “Got Me Going”, “Sexyback”, and “Afterglow” :D

[@StrateleStudios]

OK they finally made it to my spreadsheet. It’s just a matter of time at this point! 👏👏👏🫶

[@Bimbo_MN]

@@StrateleStudios it’s all good man! I know you get many requests and it must be hard to get through them all

[@Bimbo_MN]

@@StrateleStudios also I wanted to say, I did the Spotify Wrapped and Dirty Loops came up as my number 1 artist of the year. And there’s a video they recorded for Spotify and in it Henrik says “there will be an album in 2024!”

[@StrateleStudios]

@@Bimbo_MNoh wow! Man that album was supposed to be 2023 but I’ll take what I can get! Hahaha

[@Bimbo_MN]

@@StrateleStudios maybe it’s an album like Loopified where it has a lot of songs. I remember them saying Loopified took them like 2-3 years to work on. They started working on it in 2011-2012 and they finished by 2014. So maybe it’s a similar story