One of the most common questions asked of pop musicians is, Who are your influences? This question is the premise behind a new series on NHK, "Ongaku Idenshi" (NHK-G, Mon., 11 p.m.), which literally means "The Genes of Music." According to the show's producers, a musician's particular sensibility is more or less the result of all the music he has absorbed during his life.
This week, the subject is Kazufumi Miyazawa, the leader of The Boom, which debuted in 1989. Originally a ska group, The Boom eventually incorporated elements of Okinawan music, minyo (folk songs) and Latin rhythms into its unique form of J-pop, which was extremely popular in the early '90s, as evidenced by million-seller hits like "Shimauta" and "Kaze ni Naritai." Miyazawa has since become an internationally acclaimed solo artist, and is particularly popular in Central and South America.
During the program, Miyazawa talks about the artists who influenced him directly, and how their music helped him form his own sound.