RealKishiBashi

Regina was a huge inspiration for me. I got to play with her pretty constantly for almost a year and half all over the world. Every night, I would just be floored at how she could totally capture and captivate the audience. She brought level of intimacy between the performer and audience member that I had never witnessed until that time.

The most interesting thing she's said to me (and she's said a lot) is about how to judge someone as a friend that you'd like to be around with. She explained how she's forgiving of somebody who is slightly out of control, has vices, problems, but in general is an interesting and good person. She would chose that friend over somebody who is not interesting because they don't they don't take that passionate leap into the unknown. Maybe that why she never fired me haha she's awesome

I have a tremendous amount of influences, starting with classical music like Tchaikowsky, Shostokovich, Prokofiev, etc. I do love songs by the greats, like Tom Waits, Dylan, Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, Paul McCartney, etc. I love rock n roll like anybody else, starting with Led Zepellin, Pink Floyd all the way to Nirvana and Nine Inch Nails. I also used to be metal head, and I consider myself a jazz violinist of sorts too. I'm basically a mess.

I hung out with Andrew Bird the other day in DC. I've always been a huge fan so it was great to see him again and get to chat about nerdy violin stuff

just call me K. It's what people have called me since I was 13. "Kaoru" with two adjacent vowels were a little to difficult for most 'mericans.

i studied composition in college (i remember struggling to right a 6 part fugue). many of the skills I learned are there in my looping. I usually just write out the chord progression and then improvise parts on the fly and hope that the voice leading isn't that bad.

I personally love romantic composers like Tchaikowsky, Beethoven, (I'm listening to Grieg right now). I also love French Impressionist composers like Ravel, Debussy, and Chopin (i guess he's in between the eras). Also a big fan of Takemitsu.

I approach ever song differently. I use my gut. If it feels like it needs a chorus, I'll work on it. If it doesn't I'll add different elements. It's a lot of trial and error and second guessing.

thanks for your grade! I think i tried to duel him when I was in college when I was a snotty and flashy jazz violin student at Berklee College (for which I apologized to him). He didn't remember at all, so I guess he wins??