Primavera Sound, held annually at Parc del Fòrum in Barcelona, Spain, is one of Europe’s largest and most influential music festivals. Founded in 2001, it originally focused on indie rock but has expanded to include hip hop, electronic, and pop. Known for its...
Kaori Muraji (born April 14, 1978, in Taito, Tokyo) is a renowned Japanese classical guitarist and the younger sister of guitarist Soichi Muraji. Trained by her father and later by Shinichi Fukuda, she rose to fame in the early 1990s after winning multiple national...
The Newport Jazz Festival, founded in 1954 by Elaine and Louis Lorillard and organized by George Wein, is one of the most iconic jazz festivals in the United States. Held each summer in Newport, Rhode Island, it began at the Newport Casino and quickly expanded,...
Issei Noro (born January 1, 1957, in Meguro, Tokyo) is a Japanese jazz fusion guitarist and composer. He is best known as the leader of the band Casiopea. Noro co-founded Casiopea in 1977 with bassist Tetsuo Sakurai. He quickly became the group’s main composer. Under...
Skasucks is a ska-punk band from Seoul, South Korea, formed in 2006 and known for its energetic live shows. The group is led by vocalist Ryu, who is also a tattoo artist and a key figure in the Korean punk scene. Skasucks has opened for international acts such as The...
Masayoshi Takanaka (born Ryu Masayoshi, March 27, 1953) is a Japanese guitarist, composer, and producer, widely regarded as a pioneer of Japanese rock and fusion. Born in Tokyo to a Chinese father and Japanese mother, he began his career in the early 1970s with the...
The Montreal International Jazz Festival, held annually in Montreal, Quebec, is the world’s largest jazz festival according to Guinness World Records. Since its official launch in 1980, it has grown to feature about 3,000 artists from 30 countries. Each year, it...
Kazumi Watanabe (born October 14, 1953, in Shibuya, Tokyo) is a leading Japanese jazz guitarist. He is best known for his skill, versatility, and lasting impact on jazz fusion. Watanabe studied under guitarist Sadanori Nakamure. At 17, he released his first album,...
The Pentaport Rock Festival, held annually in Incheon, South Korea, is one of the nation’s largest live music events. Since 2006, it has taken place every August over three days, focusing on rock and electronic music. Its name comes from five themes: music, passion,...
MIYAVI (born September 14, 1981) is a Japanese rock musician, guitarist, actor, and humanitarian. Widely known as the “Samurai Guitarist,” he developed an innovative slap-style guitar technique inspired by both rock and traditional Japanese instruments. He began his...