Hiroya Tsukamoto: Acoustic Transcendence
Hiroya Tsukamoto is a one-of-a-kind composer, guitarist and singer-songwriter. His group, INTEROCEANICO, has released three acclaimed records, and Hiroya has released three solo albums. Hiroya has played internationally at the Blue Note (NYC), United Nations, and Japanese National Television (NHK). In both 2018 and 2022, he won 2nd place in the International Finger Style Guitar Championship.
atac: Hi Hiroya! Tell us a bit about yourself—where’d you grow up and how did you end up in the Boston area?
Hiroya Tsukamoto: I was born and raised in Kameoka, a small town outside of Kyoto, Japan. The town is surrounded by mountains and it is a beautiful place. Life there was relaxed, I used to ride a mountain bike. I moved to the US in 2000—I chose New England because my purpose was to attend Berklee College of Music.
atac: What’s the first instrument you picked up?
HT: Banjo was the first instrument I played, in junior high school. My mother had a friend who had bluegrass LPs and he let me borrow Foggy Mountain Banjo by Flat and Scruggs. Since there was no way to find a banjo teacher in my hometown, I listened to this record over and over again as a teenager. In high school, l formed a small group creating some original music with my friends, and the first foreign band I saw was Poco. I recall that Randy Meisner sang Take It To The Limit beautifully.
atac: Was your family musical? Also, what was your high school band like?
HT: My parents play music as a hobby. My father played violin; my mother played the flute and the traditional Japanese string instruments Koto and Shamisen.
When I was in high school, American rock was big, so a lot of teenagers were playing rock—there was a band movement. Name of the group was Turtle Hill Rose. No record. We played at some local places in town back then.
atac: What made you go to that Poco show? Were you a Buffalo Springfield or Eagles fan? Was it just that they were in town?
HT: My mother’s friend who took me to the Poco show was a big bluegrass fan. And the opening act for Poco was a bluegrass band from DC, Seldom Scene. So that was his main purpose to go to this concert. I became an Eagles fan after hearing Randy Meisner singing Take It To The Limit at that show, in Osaka.
atac: Who are some musicians that inspire you?
HT: When I hear Robert Johnson’s music, even if it is a simple acoustic guitar, I hear so many things such as groove, harmony, melody—almost a band. Also, anything from J. S. Bach. When I hear Bach's compositions, I feel like the music washes all the dirt out inside of me.
atac: How about your favorite venue to perform at?
HT: It is a difficult question. I like some of the unique places where I played in the past (Buddhist temple, old mine, etc), but sound wise, I like any venue where there is a good, experienced sound person who understands my music and helps with setup.
atac: Sometimes, the venue (if not atac!) setup is less than ideal. How do you keep cool under pressure, or during difficult performance moments?
HT: When I have a difficult moment, I try to analyze the cause instead of thinking emotionally. And I always ask myself if I am doing the right things.
atac: For those who haven’t seen you live yet, what should they expect?
HT: My performance has been described as transcendental; I take listeners to different places and different times with music and stories. I hope to give some peaceful time and tranquility to people who come to my show.
*
Hiroya Tsukamoto performs live at atac on September 30, 2023. Alex Amber opens. Grab tickets right here.
Tags: