*MUSIC*

As for music, I used to play the keyboard and the bass guitar before but now I only listen. I’ll classify music genres to write comments ’cause the music I like varies a lot.

• Classical music

  I like every genre of classical music such as orchestral works, concertos, solos and etc. I like every period from the baroque to the modern. My favorite composers are Rachmaninov, Ravel, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Beethoven and others. I Also like conductors such as Maazel, Karajan and Muti. Muti’s conductions of Vienna Philharmoniker at the New Year Concert were great! Well, M. Inoue is also my favorite Japanese conductor.

  
  
• Jazz

  Blue Note 1500 series!!! Of course I like other labels and other periods, but I love the energy of Hard Bup and the quality of Blue Note collections.

  
  
• Rock/Blues etc.

  The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan... are the ones I often listen to. Also I like blues (Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan etc ... etc.) Oh, I went to Osaka for the Rolling Stones’ Babylone Concert in March 21st, 1998. (This is my first concert of other music than classical music!) Yeah, it was great. Besides, I’m a big fan of Tom Waits. His lyrics and sounds are pretty good —I’m sure you’ll be toxically infected once you are enthusiastic about his works. But I cannot follow current pops, you know. :)

  
  
• Japanese pops

  Recently I like Mayumi Kojima. (Maybe you don’t know her even if you’re Japanese!) Her Swinging Jazz-like sounds, a bit funny lyrics (and psycologically crazy background!) and good voice make me a fan of her. I went to her live concert on December 1998 —it was unexpectedly (sorry, Miss Kojima...) great. Well, I also like EGO-WRAPPIN’.

  
  
• Other music

  Arabic and Indian musics have really attractive melodies and timbre. I hope I can get these Indian/Arabic recordings easily. I also like French Musette.