Few – if any – different guitarists declare a film character as their first musical inspiration, as is the case for Kay-Ta Matsuno.

“My Dad was an avid listener of classical music,” the Osaka-born jazzer recalled. “He took me to an orchestra live performance after I was younger, and I took classical piano classes since I used to be 5 years outdated. There was no guitar or guitar-oriented music round after I was rising up, till I noticed Again to the Future on VHS. Different guitar gamers would title Hendrix, Clapton, or Van Halen as their first inspiration, I needed to title Marty McFly or Michael J. Fox as my first lightning-shock expertise (laughs)!”

Kay-Ta moved to the U.S. in 1996 to check jazz at Berklee Faculty of Music.

“I used to be doing session work in Japan, however not for major-label artists,” he recalled. “I believed finding out jazz can be one of the simplest ways to deeply perceive music.”

The relocation paid dividends as he was provided quite a few recording and backing gigs, and he has since nurtured a profession on his personal phrases.

His third album, Distance, was recorded at his house studio in Van Nuys, and he performed each instrument besides drums on one monitor; acoustics included a Martin HD-28, Taylor 314, Cordoba 55FCE, and a Manuel Rodriguez. The electrics heard are a Saito S-622, a ’68 Telecaster, and a five-string Squire Jazz Bass.

He recorded the brand new album in a mode that differed from his two earlier solo works.

“I assume the most important distinction is the idea, which was to make use of acoustic guitar as a core of the music” he stated. “I selected extra digital drum sounds and synth-bass to make the guitar stand out.”

Whereas Distance is an instrumental album, his mission was to “remark” on latest sociopolitical points with out including lyrics to his songs.

“Phrases are powerless and flimsy typically, and while you open your mouth, there may be all the time an opportunity to harm any individual’s emotions,” he opined. “I might reasonably vent out my view by way of my music, with out phrases.”

The primary single, “Distance,” takes its title from the pandemic, when seven of the album’s 10 tracks had been written and recorded.

“‘Distance’ means one thing utterly completely different for the reason that pandemic. Regardless of how a lot you needed to get near somebody, you needed to preserve six toes of distance from one another. You’ll be able to see them however you’ll be able to’t contact them. This track describes that type of sentiment.”

“Smog Free,” one other pandemic-inspired composition, may strike listeners as a soundtrack for a film or tv present.

“As soon as, I used to be working as an assistant author for a movie composer, and it was a tricky job. There was no method that I might preserve my chops dwell and pursue a composer’s lifestyle on the similar time. I’m not there but, however I need to develop into a musician whom some director would discover attention-grabbing, and who would need to work with me. I’ve an enormous respect for movie composers.”

Kay-Ta interpolated some intriguing sonic trickery. For instance, what appears like a buzzing funk bass on the introduction to “Push It Again” is definitely his HD-28 doubled with a synth bass.

Requested about private favourite passages on Distance, he cites the primary arpeggio phrase in “Smog Free.”

“That’s deceptively difficult, however it serves as an atmospheric impact reasonably than a noodle shred, and I get pleasure from taking part in it dwell in live performance. If I needed to title one other passage, I might say my electric-guitar solo on ‘Kraken.’ That one was one take, with no punch-ins. I did have a number of makes an attempt, however that exact solo was performed from the start to the top, with no cease. I believe it’s top-of-the-line solos I’ve ever performed by way of tone, phrasing, circulate, and concepts.”

The guitarist has additionally began what he calls “an alternate chamber music group” referred to as the Kay-Ta Crypto String Society.

“It’s a gateway to my final aim, which is a 50-piece hybrid orchestra. With a view to get there, I must be on the market and be recognized. And I do know it gained’t come in a single day, however I’m very persistent.”

This text initially appeared in VG’s June 2024 situation. All copyrights are by the writer and Classic Guitar journal. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.