It was in Shizuoka, where my home was. I first attended this school when I was five years old. I also attended a regular elementary school, and I was taking piano lessons with a local teacher. I began to study composition at the Yamaha school. And I continued to study there until the age of 15.
I started to listen to Japanese jazz musicians when I went to high school. Some people I listened to were Yosuke Yamashita, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Sadao Watanabe.
The way to respect all the people I love is to eat the music, have it in my blood and bones, and try to explore it in as much different ways as possible to create my own identity.
The really strong key thing always comes direct to your heart. Even if it’s a visual thing it doesn’t come to your eyes! Even if it is a listening thing it doesn’t come to your ears, it goes directly to your spirit!
I am playing the music I love and I really play it from my heart, and whatever the out form is – it doesn’t matter whether it’s art or music.
My music is very emotional. The reason why I want to play music is very emotional. I want to call out my emotions and package them into music.
Nobody wants to experience sad events but people like to listen to sad songs. That’s the beauty of music.
Everything is inspiring! It could be fine art or a conversation I have with somebody!
I have to be very original and have a strong musical voice. I don’t want to be a copycat of anybody.
The beautiful thing about music is that even so-called negative emotions like anger, sadness, frustration, when they come through the filter of music, they all become beautiful.
I love performing so much! The joy is to have the opportunity to be able to perform all around the world.
Whenever I do a performance I always hope it is the best day of my life. Sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn’t.
Everybody improvises without noticing it. Life is about improvising. You can’t control what happens in your life, I mean, you don’t know what can happen in your life today. So you somehow improvise.