Artist description THIS JAPANESE ARTIST BRINGS THE REALITY AND HUMANITY IN ROCK MUSIC. HE ROCKS ASS!!

Music Style HIS OWN

Musical Influences NONE

Similar Artists NOBODY

Artist History Masa is a singer-songwriter, who has always liked the challenge of the unknown, and he's never been afraid to take step right up to meet it. Masaaki Takahashi was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1972, At 18, with his parents divorcing and his school friends going off to college, Masa looked for a life he can call "His own". A Japanese friend has lived in New York told him of experiences in America. He saved up money from his day job to get an airline ticket and move to U.S.A. Masa arrived in L.A. in 1992, 19 years old, knowing no one and speaking no English. He found a place to live and applied for residency. Receiving residency later on, he worked in a warehouse as a laborer. For next 5 years he immersed himself into total foreign culture, learning language and the customs via personal interaction and television. Masa describes those years were some of the hardest times he ever faced. The isolation brought on by the inability to communicate with anyone was the toughest part for him. Through a chance encounter in a music store in North Hollywood in 1997, age 25, Masa picked up a guitar for the first time. Although having no musical training and no background, he found he could strum a rhythm on the instrument. As he strummed, he started speaking words over the rhythm. At that moment, Masa realized a way that he could communicate that did not require direct interaction of anyone else. He saved up his tips from delivering Domino's Pizza and got an Ibanez acoustic guitar for $279. After a musician friend showed him some basic chords, Masa started writing songs about his daily life and adventures in the new country. In 1998, he moved to Portland, OR, invitation from his ex-roommate from his early days in California. Masa continued working on guitar playing and songwriting. He even took his guitar to work, practiced at lunch everyday. Although he never played publicly, Masa knew that being on stage in front of an audience is where he was desined to be. And he started seeing playing music is the only thing makes his life to be called "His own". A co-worker, whose brother had a history of recording in Nashville, suggested him to go to Music City, U.S.A. In November of 1999, Masa hit Nashville like a storm. He got a job and a place to live on the very same day, on the third day he went on stage for the first time at the Gibson Guitar cafe during thier songwriter open mic nights. Since then, he has been a non-stop performing and self promoting machine. Billing himself as "The Modern folk Rocker", Masa started playing out everynight of the week, sometimes 2, 3 clubs in a night. His songs like, "She's a country girl but...", "Tell me Judge Judy", "My American girl" made his name spreaded quickly, helped building a diverse and dedicated following. In April 2001, he was one of five winners in the Tin Pan South Songwriter Contest with "Please, Please, Please and Hey, Hey, Hey". And he performed for Tin Pan South showcase following year. His songs has been being played on various college radios, helping him being known who is "Masa" in different regions in U.S. In 2002, Masa was voted as "The best postmodern folk artist" in a local publication, Nashville Scene. His recent credits include appearing on Nashville Late Night Show with Bob Wolf on Channel 4 as a musical guest, and opening for a fomer teen movie idol, Corey Feldman.

Group Members MASA and FRIENDS. THEY KNOW HOW TO KICK ASS BIG TIME!!

Instruments GUITARS, BASS, DRUMS, KEYBOARD, SAXPHONE, HARMONICA

Albums http://www.gomasa.com

Press Reviews "UNDESCRIBABLY ORIGINAL" --- The Tennessean "A BORN ENTERTAINER!" ---Nashville Scene "HE'S CRAFTED HIS OWN IMAGE" ---Nashville Rage "WAKE UP PEOPLE! MASA IS IN TOWN" ---Nashville Music Guide "THERE ARE ONLY TWO TYPES OF MUSIC, MASA'S AND EVERYTHING ELSE" ---Memphis Songwriters Association

Additional Info http://www.gomasa.com

Location NASHVILLE, TN - USA

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