- Watanabe I heard there was your parents' home in Shibuya Station east exit.

Rather is an old story, but the home was doing business there to the east exit of the station. It is Miya Miyamasuzaka under intersection. Next was the theater of the Toei system. Now become a big camera, it's a movie theater was moved to the upper floor. There are Tokyu Bunka Kaikan on the swash facing across the Meiji street, and some of the movie theater there as well, there was a Gotoh Planetarium. Small tobacco shop is of my parents' home in the intersection, beauty salon is in the next to the relatives of the aunt is doing, it was also Chinese food shop. Currently it has renovated in tenant for the building. I therefore lived until about 17 years old, I always had to meet with the music in Shibuya.

- Did it have haunted the local elementary school?

I had been through the Yamate kindergarten that was on the grounds of Yamatekyokai in the Koen-dori. It should have been Protestant. From elementary school to private school Hyosung in Chiyoda-ku Kudan. I was commuting ride from Shibuya to the streetcar. Been rocked in tram, I was feeling like somehow to cross-border.

- Do you have any memories of boyhood?

I department store was the playground. Since After all Shibuya Station of Tokyu Department Store Toyoko store was the front of the eye. And many Shibuya is already traffic at the time, since childhood had been banned a bicycle, or play in or Miyashita park play at Toyoko department store, it was. Or around the in the department store, and go to see the event for children. Movie also went to the well watched. Around full of cinema, because it is not a shareholder but get lots of free coupon (laughs). At the time of the Tokyo Olympic Games, there is a memory of torchbearers was watched from the second floor of a run the front of the house.

- Watanabe and music of the encounter?

From around second grade began the practice of organ and piano. Father like Chaplin of film music and Louis Armstrong, and Latin music, had been or playing the piano to match the music that has been flowing from the father of the stereo. But, it is not at all practice (laughs). I had hit the keyboard to love freely. Maybe if it was a I prefer to play in the ad-lib from that time. Pointing a pushpin to felt to open the piano lid (by a strange sound), insanely angry was also a teacher ....

- The origin of as a guitarist?

I I was able to Yamaha Music in Dogenzaka in 1966 was a sixth grade elementary school. Electric guitar in unlimited also playing electronic organ, had been through almost every day. At that time I guitar band I had been epidemic that Ventures, but they were using the "Mosrite", ultra-luxury guitar called "electric guitar of the Rolls-Royce" is adorned in the showcase. When I looked at it every day, one day, "I'm this is a great guitar, want to do? Play" people of the department is out from me, it was let me played. With another guitar and feel "completely different", I was feeling that life has been determined by this. I "Do not want to be the person who sound freely dealing with this guitar is put out."

- But Why was the guitar? Although instruments There are many in other.

Of course there was also the influence of Ventures visit to Japan, to "Holiday bubble" of Crazy Cats was the popular at the time TV, of Mr. Yuzo Kayama is in the neighborhood of a movie theater and "Wakadaisho of electric", Mr. Hitoshi Ueki of "irresponsible man series" is one after another premiere, always music was around round and round the inside of my head. It was dictated as "Guitar = cool" in particular looking at the Yuzo Kayama. It was this era.

- I started the band activities?

When beauty salon that aunt was doing in the next to the holiday, had been asked by the practice of the guitar with the help of location. Gathered relatives and friends. Among them, apparently aware that he is the most good (laughs). It was gone through special training secretly encouraging. Since the beginning in junior high school, the first time the music companion and the band, was the practice went to the Higashi-Nakano and Iidabashi is responsible for the electric guitar. Sometimes, it brought out the amplifier on the second floor clothes stand of the house, was also When you play Jakajaka towards the Meiji-dori. It was felt good.

- Motofuyuki Mr. Toka's senior of the school? Whether it had the music ties?

Yes. Moto's the last person to start a band playing appeared to suddenly classroom to the lunch break, moto's electric of was the first experience of the electric guitar to listen live. "Because there is my bad looking and hear the wind began the guitar at the opportunity, do not it is I say that to say," When you talk of the time but he is humility and, I In other "Kazumi Watanabe began an electric look at me I! It seems that saying the "(laughs).

- Why did you interested in the world of jazz?

Was not much doing the electric guitar by himself is, I would like once firmly Narao, I attended the guitar classroom Miya Miyamasuzaka. The teacher in the person who was teaching jazz, classical, almighty to Hawaiian, has been advised "You Once you try the jazz from around good finger." Know the playing method using Hayabiki at tremendous speed on the record of the recommendation was Joe Pass, I was surprised, "Do this is the sound of the same guitar." 60s late, at a time when the music scene had shifted to rock and progressive rock from the fork, it is not met in jazz. Jazz It was much "gibberish" genre among such music. In the meantime, me have made a connection to the mother to disturb you in the house of Mr. Sadao Watanabe, I took the guitar. It is the time of the junior high school two or three years. We played the "Autumn Leaves," "Girl from Ipanema". "But are bursting well with children, it had better learn firm" Sadao Watanabe and give me advice, turn now to attend to another jazz guitar classroom. Sadao Watanabe is a division of the jazz school, which has been organized, it was in Ebisu. Here I met in the teacher Mure Sadasoku's, started a full-fledged jazz guitar.

It has been debut at --17-year-old, but its history?

And teacher immediately jazz club near the parents' home is not once played in a week, I was going to listen well, from around to graduate guitar classroom, now participate in a jam session to release the stage . So it seems to have become a rumor as "interesting high school students there are." Jazz club is a lot to Shibuya, was a big present for me. Including the "Oscar" of Tokyu Plaza nearby, it was a lot to love hotel district of Maruyama-cho. Well in and flocked to the jazz club with a guitar beg me, "please let me do it!", Ask them to play while being disliked middle (laughs). Yamaha, if there's music store, etc. is also rich in Kawai, Shibuya I music culture from the old days was the prosperous. It was a valuable field for the debut front of him.

Before long, from the club that teacher had appeared, now I get the opportunity that I was a high school student also appeared in the band organization. An increasing number of opportunities to be invited to audition for the other bands, some time, we had over a voice to Masaru Imada jazz pianist. A little play or only think to meet was How can go in the dressing room, was nervous ... chattering been as it is told to go on stage. Multiplied by the have a clean up over and "cheers for good work" voice, I got a guarantee. In much indeed 3～4,000 yen, I think that's now in the price and is worth tens of thousands of yen position. It was Mashi numbness in this. Yourself me willing audience happy, get even more money. Earlier also live had is doing, I think that this time was the moment of his professional debut.

- Was there a place where liked in Shibuya at the time?

It is in Shibuya Jean-Jean was also also carries often foot as a spectator as a performer, Shibuya Quattro is or is visiting foreign artists for the experienced, I liked. After Shibuya Public Hall. It was a big presence for me. But it is that I'm glad I to his was born and raised where there is a place, such as the Music Hall of Fame. The next is also NHK Hall, the atmosphere of "epicenter of culture" was drifting. I once left the Shibuya entered the 20s, but we have more opportunities to be again invited to "Let's go for a drink to Shibuya" from the late 20s. At first I was not tied very much Shibuya and sake, but I feel like re-discover the city of charm that Shibuya into adulthood. I looked in the city at all different from the childhood.

Speaking then as Shibuya, Bunkamura 1989 was completed at that time, in the center of the project, such as theater and festivals are invited to the "Theatre Cocoon" Kazumi Kushida who had been involved as a producer, the planning, the native gypsy that was my idea I was very happy performances of music drama was based on the world-guitarist "Django 1953" that was achieved. In Tazusaware to cultural activities in their own born and raised in the city, so far of the on because I now feel like returns slightly.