Art Encouragement Prize for Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
1 appearances
-
Edition 31 (1981) award
George Kawaguchi
ジョージ かわぐち
Kawaguchi Joji
Pen Names:
Joji Kawaguchi（Birth name / legal name）,
George Kawaguchi（Stage name）
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1927-06-15 （Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan）
- Died
- 2003-11-01 age 76
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
Career
- Occupations
- drummer, musician
- Active Years
- 1947-2003
- Influenced By
- Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich
- Influenced
- Raiji Kawaguchi, Motohiko Hino, Japanese younger generation jazz drummers
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Army Aviation Officer School (Imperial Japanese Army) | — | — | — | — | Japan |
Army Aviation Officer School (Imperial Japanese Army)
Country:
Japan
Had prewar/old-system and Manchuria education history. Trained as an Army youth aviator at the end of the war (reports vary).
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | NANRI Fumio Prize | — | — | — | 受賞 |
| 1981 | Art Festival Prize (Minister of Education Award) | — | ジャズ | Arts Festival (Agency for Cultural Affairs) | 受賞 |
| 1988 | Medal with Purple Ribbon | — | — | Government of Japan | 受章 |
| 1997 | Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette (4th class) | — | — | Government of Japan | 受章 |
| 2003 | Japan Record Awards — Special Achievement Award | — | — | Japan Record Awards | 受賞 |
NANRI Fumio Prize
1981
Result:
受賞
Art Festival Prize (Minister of Education Award)
1981
Category:
ジャズ
Organization:
Arts Festival (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
Result:
受賞
Medal with Purple Ribbon
1988
Organization:
Government of Japan
Result:
受章
Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette (4th class)
1997
Organization:
Government of Japan
Result:
受章
Japan Record Awards — Special Achievement Award
2003
Organization:
Japan Record Awards
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Jazz at the Tris
1957 JazzAn album including live recordings from the early Big Four era; released during the postwar jazz boom.
big bandlive performancepostwar jazz
Original Big Four
1959 JazzA studio album under the Big Four name; contributed to the popularization of jazz in Japan.
jazz comboswing
Super Drums
1979 JazzA George Kawaguchi-led project featuring drums prominently; showcases solo and ensemble drumming.
drum solotechnical display
Bibliography
- Life Is 4-Beat! — Autobiography of George Kawaguchi (1982)
- My Memoir: The Drum Solo Never Ends (1995)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- powerful, exuberant drummingperformance emphasizing speed and power
- Recurring Motifs
- extended drum soloshighly entertaining showmanship
Health
-
cerebral hemorrhageSuffered a cerebral hemorrhage and died in 2003
Legacy
One of postwar Japan's leading jazz drummers. Through groups like the Big Four he helped popularize jazz in Japan and was called a 'god of jazz drumming.'
Archives
- National Diet Library (materials / archives)
In Popular Culture
- Continued presence in media via TV appearances and NHK archives.
Quotes
-
Life is 4-beat!
Source: Autobiography 'Life Is 4-Beat! — Autobiography of George Kawaguchi' (1982)
Trivia
- Famous for many tall tales and jokingly nicknamed 'Horabuki George' (braggart George).
- Distinctive mustache as a personal trademark.
- There are accounts that he served as an international clay shooting judge at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics (reports vary).