EOU senior from Tokyo blends Jazz and business

By Jeff Petersen
The La Grande Observer

Published: March 4, 2004

EOU senior Hideki Nokariya will be one of seven musicials performaing at Tuesday's jazz concert.

The language of jazz is universal.

Hideki Nokariya, 35, proves it. The jazz guitarist, a senior business major from Tokyo, will be among seven musicians performing a jazz concert Tuesday at McKenzie Theatre.

Jazz and business might seem like a strange combination. Nokariya, though, feels that being flexible and improvising might translate well into success in the world of international business, a field he wants to pursue.

Although Japan has its share of jazz notables, Nokariya's heroes come in shades of red, white and blue. He gets inspiration from such jazz greats as guitarist/composer Pat Metheney, who recently earned a 16th Grammy; Larry Carlton, known for the infectious guitar playing in his jazz/rock crossover style; and Wes Montgomery, a pioneer of jazz guitar artistry.

Nokariya's guitar playing has been an evolutionary process. And jazz was not always at the center of his heart.

He started playing at age 9. His mom bought him a guitar, he went to guitar class and started playing classical music. In high school he saved his money, bought an electric guitar and amplifier and started playing the blues of B.B. King and the rock and roll of Eric Clapton.

He soon became interested in the more technically challenging jazz guitar.

His mom's taking him to concerts and listening to jazz on the radio lit a fire of excitement in him over the style's possibilities.

"Rock and roll has only one color," he said. "Jazz has lots of styles, is very colorful musically."

In his early 20s, his horizons broadened further. He worked as a waiter at the Blue Note Jazz Club in Tokyo and gained inspiration from the free improvisers.

Later in his 20s, music had to be put on the back burner for four years while Nokariya worked six days a week, 15 hours a day to earn money for schooling in the United States. He came to Eastern for his last two years of school because it offered competitive rates for foreign students and a quality business school.

Campus life resparked his interest in music. Despite a heavy class load, he said, he has more free time and lots of music materials such as books for inspiration.

Nokariya and the rest of the seven-member Eastern group have reason to be jazzed up. Last weekend many of them attended the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival in Moscow, Idaho, where they attended clinics and concerts.

"I got inspiration by listening to one of my idols, guitarist Russel Malone," he said.

Although jazz is not in the Eastern musical mainstream — that's more bluegrass' role — the jazz group is showing incremental improvement.

"We're getting better each quarter," he said.

At Tuesday's concert, the group will perform a variety of jazz titles, some contemporary, some bluesy. Nokariya's roles include accompanying others, playing melody and, a highlight of all jazz concerts, doing solos.

Nokariya will play a bright red Steinberger guitar he got for its portability.

"It's small. I can bring it in the kitchen, in the bathroom, just about anywhere," he said, laughing.

When you're playing jazz, after all, wherever you are in the world, the music never stops.

Contact Information

University Advancement Eastern Oregon University One University Boulevard La Grande, OR 97850 phone 541.962.3740 fax 541.962.3680 email University Advancement