music | My Eyes Tokyo

My goal in Japan is to show people,”if you try hard enough, you can achieve anything”.

2008-01-28

Interviewed by Hisa Written by Isao Tokuhashi Mail to: itokuhashi@myeyestokyo.com Nelson Babin-Coy (USA) Singer-songwriter (He’s been in Japan since 2005) Nelson is an American singer-songwriter who writes songs in Japanese and sings in Japanese. He started studying Japanese and playing music kind of late, when he was mid-teen. But he speaks Japanese like a native Japanese speaker. Also he is making a bid for a debut in the major Japanese music scene this year instead of taking a big, big risk. *Interview in Sangenjaya, Setagaya-ku Don’t touch my mustache! I came here about almost seven years ago when

Musical skills are not the most important thing for musicians.

2007-10-14

Interviewed & written by Isao Tokuhashi Mail to: itokuhashi@myeyestokyo.com Jinx_K_Miyao (Jinichiro Miyao) Drummer (He’s been in the US since 1998) After 5-hour flight from New York, I arrived in Los Angeles. I had the first talk here with a wonderful Japanese drummer, Jinichiro Miyao, known as Jinx_K_Miyao. What is the most important thing for musicians? Musical sense? Performing technique? Of course, those are very important, but he believes “humanity” is the most important thing for them. He says we can’t play music well without maturing as a person. *Interview in Little Tokyo *Edited by Daniel Penso 校正協力：ダニエル・ペンソ日本語

When we walk on the streets, Harlem guys say “You are gorgeous!” even if we don’t put on makeup and look bad. It makes us really happy.

2007-10-11

Interviewed & written by Isao Tokuhashi Mail to: itokuhashi@myeyestokyo.com Kimiko Matsuo Coordinator/Graphic Desiner of Harlem Connection, Inc. (She’s been in the US since November, 2002) This is the second interview in New York. We introduce you a woman who works as Tommy Tomita’s right hand. Kimiko Matsuo is in charge of the Harlem tour booking, tour guiding and producing of tommytomita.com. Also she teaches Japanese language at a high school in Harlem. In addition, she is a member of the “Harlem Japanese Gospel Choir” and feels black people’s heritage with all her senses. This is a story about “Women, Harlem and New

I got shot twice. I faced countless holdups.

2007-10-11

Interviewed & written by Isao Tokuhashi Mail to: itokuhashi@myeyestokyo.com Tommy Tomita Representative of Harlem Connection Inc/Music producer/Organizer of Harlem Japanese Gospel Choir (He’s been in th US since ’85) My Eyes Tokyo bring you interviews with mainly Japanese people living and working in US. We’ve met four persons in New York and three in Los Angeles. Let’s explore their points of view on America. Now we introduce you to Tommy Tomita who has been in Harlem, the black people’s residencial area in Manhattan for about 20 years. He’s contributed to the community with donations and volunteer activities. Also he’s

I will sing Japanese songs in Japanese someday, like the “Last Samurai”.

2007-08-08

Interviewed & written by Isao Tokuhashi Mail to: itokuhashi@myeyestokyo.com Luis Carlos Severich (Bolivia) Singer/Guitarist (Folklore & Latin music) (He’s been in Japan since ’83) Today’s guest is Luis Carlos Severich from Bolivia, a guitarist and singer of mainly Latin music. He’s been here in Japan for about 25 years and and taught us his culture and music for a long time with his groups, such as “Los Tres Amigos”. He was a young folklore superstar who used to win the Golden Disc in Argentina. Why did he come to Japan? What did he see when he stepped in the heart of Tokyo? *Interview at Nishi-ikebukuro

I’m not Japanese. I’m not French. I’m myself.

2007-07-12

Interviewed & written by Isao Tokuhashi Mail to: itokuhashi@myeyestokyo.com Maia (Japan/France) Musician (Born in Tokyo and raised in Paris) We enjoyed talking with Maia, a musician who has both a French and Japanese cultural background. She sings and plays many kinds of instruments, such as flute, sax, pandeiro (Brazilian tambourine) and so on. Maia has been really familiar with many kinds of music since she was a child. It’s because of her unique environment. Actually her music life started at age 6, when she started to play the piano. But not only that. You’ll see how her surroundings are and

What people feel in Africa, what other people feel in other countries… they are all the same. We are all the same human beings.

2007-06-13

Interviewed & written by Isao Tokuhashi Mail to: itokuhashi@myeyestokyo.com Latyr Sy (Senegal) African percussionist (He’s been in Japan since ’93) We’re bringing the interview with Latyr Sy, a great percussion player from Senegal. He performed in Nelson Mandela Concert, 2002 World Cup Soccer and welcome ceremonies of President Mitterrand and other VIP. Also Latyr played African drums with Japanese traditional entertainment performances. We hope you could learn his unique point of view on Japan, which has been cultivated by his philosophy of life and music. *Interview at Inokashira Park (Musashino-shi, Tokyo) *Edited by Daniel Penso 校正協力：ダニエル・ペンソ日本語 Born on a

If you don’t do anything, nobody will give you a job.

2007-01-27

Interviewed & written by Isao Tokuhashi Mail to: itokuhashi@myeyestokyo.com Nana Hirsch Sound Engineer (She’s been in US since January 2001) This is our 1st episode of Japanese who live in abroad. Nana Hirsch left Japan to the United States about six years ago and she has worked really hard ever since to realize her dream. She looks like a little girl, but she is really tough. This is the special interview “My Eyes America”. *Interview in Yokohama *Edited by Daniel Penso 校正協力：ダニエル・ペンソ日本語 I can’t think about US easily like before I arrived in the US on January

I don’t like rude foreigners that don’t care about Japanese customs and traditions.

2007-01-10

A mail from our 1st interviewee (Holland) We got a mail from Giuliano Garau, the first interviewee from Holland. At that time, October 2006, it was his fifth day in Japan. Now he is in Holland. He had been in Tokyo for three months. While he was in Japan, how did he feel about Tokyo and Japan? Let’s take a look. *Previous interview with Giuliano… Click here. 日本語 Have you felt differences between Japan and your country? If so, what kind of differences? I’ve explained before that there are a few differences between two countries. But let me add a few

When I went to “109”, girls were whispering to each other and pointing at me.

2006-10-11

Interviewed & written by Isao Tokuhashi Mail to: itokuhashi@myeyestokyo.com Giuliano Garau (Holland) Photographer, Audio & Visual Professional （He came to Japan five days ago) He is the first person on this website! Mr. Garau arrived in Japan five days ago. But he can already speak some basic Japanese. He worked as a salesperson for electronic equipment in Holland. But he really, really wanted to come to Japan, so he saved some money and traveled across oceans and land to get to Japan. Now he seems to be really happy with being in Tokyo. *Interview in Shirokane-dai, Minato-ku *Edited by

Interviews with Tokyo People Achieving Dreams