Jazz drummer of the United States one of the best, been found in Art Blakey and he moved to New York, was working as a member of the Jazz Messengers before about 45 years. Isao Suzuki jazz bassist representative of Japan, now reached the 82-year-old should be noted, continues at the forefront of the jazz scene. The Shibuya music festival competed every year since 2009, I have been playing the sound of both in name and reality world-class. Along with the Suzuki look back half a lifetime, which walked along with the Jazz, says the think of to Shibuya music festival.

Anyway, I wanted to do jazz, became a player in the strip theater.

Please tell us about the encounter of the first Suzuki-san and jazz _.

Encounter with jazz sounds, is that when Louis Armstrong was first visit to Japan. Mother was doing the hairdresser got a ticket from the audience, it was ceded to the "paddle going to listen?". I did not even that tinkering Nante musical instrument in college at that time, I went to the Tsukiji Higashigeki Nde was Well spare time, I a ringside seat. "This is jazz or" and have listened to the, I play bass did a solo of about 10 minutes that Milt Hinton. I have ended up impressed with it. I also absolutely trying to do the base, and. In, the way home, I was there is a strip club on the fifth floor of Higashigeki, really by chance, I saw a poster that says "base over scan player recruitment." "Absorbing it No, here'll let you tell me," I think (laughs). So I asked, "Do not buy me a base" to the mother, where Nante instrument in no time. However, mother network of contacts of the audience said they were large is to call here and there, I was me somehow find a wood base. It is such a beginning. I I have also dropped out of the University of it in the wake of (laughs).

_ Then, how do we brushed the base of the arm doing.

I went to strip clubs and about a week from the concert, because there is still a poster, I was please with the "I have never played, I do not tell." Then, player is "Well boy, I is allowed to have a base" of the piano and the drum me to say that, now to be playing there taught while. After all I because strip theater, when stripper of dress is white is this, when the red is instructed Nante this, was to play a variety of songs to fit the dance. At first I did not know even character of the "o" of music, if I learned about a year, I so considerably play. "Boy, considerably Do became skillfully" on or is tell me.

_ After that, I think you are full-fledged active as a bass player.

On one occasion, from two of the American soldiers of the occupation forces who had come well to the theater, I "You, Do not. Now do not come to camp out a pretty good sound" is invited. So I went to play in the camp of Tachikawa, I they were members of a military band. We have each other a lot instrument is placed on the kamaboko barracks in the camp. Every morning, because have never do after the performance of the Flag, there was doing jazz. Originally everyone musicians, were some pretty famous people. A guitar player named Tony Tekiseira is for me to me over the voice, I after returning home I want had been taught at the Berklee College of Music. Now out of the Tachikawa camp in such circumstances, as a member of the Air Force of the band, we played about two years. It was fun just good guys of care. If you say that is troublesome to the proceedings at the gate every day, to lend me a military uniform, I then was a flow-through can have guard (laughs). In the camp, Watanabe (Sadao) Mr. Toka Akiyoshi (Toshiko) Mr. I had come to listen well, like my thing is I thought the Japanese II (laughs).

I was aware of the level of the world by meeting with Art Blakey.

Please tell us about the meeting with Art Blakey was a jazz drummer one of the best in _ the United States.

Because American soldiers came to be disbanded band gone back home after everyone military service, then, Toka Yurakucho of video Hall, now playing here and there. In, in the course of a jam session in various places, Sadao Watanabe, Masahiko Togashi, supposed to set up a Masaaki Kikuchi and the Quartet. This was a good band. Because leader, respectively, or "Your rhythm is different!", It had just collision. Watanabe say "by such anymore irresponsible", I was not always soothe everyone. Major turning point as a jazz player is, meeting with Art Blakey. And Isono Teruo's jazz moderator have a live house called Five spot in Jiyugaoka, where I was also playing well. Isono's is a visit to Japan and overseas of the musicians had been or eat rice and brought well into his shop, I have had is Blakey in it. Ask them liked When you play in front of him, "You do not come to New York," I was invited. So when 36-year-old, I began to play me the United States Zhou in Blakey of the band and Tobei.

_ Will is what experience in the United States.

Left) Isao Suzuki, center), Elvin Jones (Dr), right) Duke Pearson (P)
1969, one valuable of when I was a music career in New York.

Around it was full of top-notch anyway. Toka Oscar Peterson, Toka Wynton Kelly, Toka Jim Hall, Toka Paul Desmond, playing with various musicians, now really study. Blakey is me saying, "skillful guy is present", I everyone'm me wants to do with me. They are do not just technology. Each have their own style. Even if just how skillfully, just doing that is similar to someone is not to the other party. I If there is no individuality. Of course, just a useless just to change, do not the contents not good. I was reminded keenly the difference between the level of Japan. Kana about two years, a group of Blakey, I wanted to really do more, when I was around the Toronto, Canada, Blakey is gone cause trouble .... Because it is time consuming so, where he decided to return home. Then when I played here and there, we are invited or not issue a record from the jazz label called Three Blind mice, so I was put out an album called "BLOW UP" in 1973. This is becoming quite a hit, it's sold about 10 million copies.

_ Since then, but it has been active in jazz-based cysts representative of Japan, what I think in do you continue to play.

I want a good performance, is not only a feeling that you want to impress the visitor. So far it is not also with a feeling that you earn in jazz. After all, and not the performance that get used to the feeling of much tears on their own. However, no good just playing with the pom-poms. When I much they cry, it's me cry audience. Much I have been doing research in such a feeling, but the hurdle in my going steadily up, not weighing follow still. Since the technology also it is important, it is much still daily for 4 hours But I'm practicing.

_ Now the Japanese jazz scene, how do you take a look.

I want you to work hard more and more to the young jazz musicians. To tell you the tough thing, I think I think is too strong to become a well-known from the beginning. If there is a personality, such as it can be said that "not even looking for anywhere in the world", it is still few players that the contents may be. If that kind of performance, since it sells also nature and name. Because I want you to come out mu Shan-class in both name and reality world, we've been taught to do with the young guys here and there from a long time ago. Musician put out at me like a rhythm, I because there is pride that it is not in the other. For example, recently I do sometimes to play together with the young DJ in the club, just not only shed the sound in the machine, doing I think that I want to tell that "I interesting and put a sound like this." I have.

Suzuki's always file Shona Ruburu a dressed. GU (GU) Yes it is often able to shopping and the like.