Takeshi Nishimoto

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Takeshi Nishimoto (born 1974 in Fukuoka, Japan) is a classically-trained guitarist and composer who is conversant with European, Northern Indian, and American jazz classical traditions. In addition to collaborations with diverse artists sitar master Rahul Sakyaputra to I'm Not a Gun associate John Tejada, Nishimoto has also performed extensively as a solo artist.

[edit] Background

Nishimoto relocated to the United States and enrolled in the guitar program at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music. He received classical training from some of the world's premiere guitar players including James Smith, Scott Tennant, William Kanengiser,, and Brian Head. In addition to European classical music, Nishimoto also explored jazz with Joe Diorio and David Oaks. He has also had Pepe Romero as an instructor, playing in four of his master classes.

Puerto Rican luthier and musician Abe Rivera has deemed Nishimoto worthy to play his instruments, which are now made only for a handful of guitarists. Nishimoto also plays a 1998 "Kasha/Schneider" Concert Classical Guitar by Boaz Elkayam and George Majkowski, built according to the designs of the late Richard Schneider. Takeshi also endorses Pickup the World, a line of high-end pickups invented by David Enke, and Austrian-based Thomastik-Infeld strings.

He moved to Berlin, Germany in June 2005.