George hails from Japan but moved to Australia 10 years ago to make his life as a busker musician. He has spent the last 10 years honing his skills to become an exemplary country blues artist. His playing is typified by its raw energy and broad tonal range-from delicate harmonics to searing rips and slides on guitar, soulful singing and driving rhythms on harmonica. The instruments George plays are slide guitar, lap steel guitar, harmonica, stompbox with his left foot and drum pedals (snare, high hat, cymbal etc) with his right. Much like a one man band.

Known as the Japanese Blues Cowboy he has played at various venues and festivals throughout Australia winning the Tamworth Country Music Busking Championships in 2003 and playing regularly on the legendary Blues Train in Queenscliff.  He has appeared in the media a few times including an article in 'The Age' newspaper, on 'Absolutely Melbourne' from Channel 7 which was a segment about buskers in Melbourne and more recently George was on 'Art Nation' with Noriko Tadano. You can often catch him busking in Bourke St mall in the Melbourne CBD.

More recently George has been playing as one part of a duo with Noriko Tadano who plays shamisen. Shamisen is a traditional Japanese instrument with a banjo like sound. George and Noriko’s music is a blend of blues and traditional Japanese music. With Noriko, George has won the Australian Busking Championships at Mortlake in 2008 and played at various events and festivals including National Folk Festival, Bel ingen Global Carnival and WOMADelaide.

 

East West
Sliding Days
Blue To The Bone

 

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