Roy Kazuso Otake

2007 Silversword Award of Cultural Excellence Recipient

Roy K. Otake was born on August 16, 1926 in Waianae on the west coast of Oahu to issei parents from Hiroshima, Japan. His father played the shakuhachi at home when he was young and perhaps exposed him first to Japanese music. While attending Central Intermediate School, Roy discovered his propensity for music and began to take music and band classes. He graduated from Farrington High School in 1944. Five years later he joined a well-known local Japanese nisei orchestra called the "Honolulu Gengaku Dan" led by Mr. Kenji Otani and played percussion. The band was popular and had many gigs around town.

In 1950 Roy felt a need to travel away from home. He had plans to travel to the mainland when his friend persuaded him to go to Japan instead. His friend backed out of the trip at the last minute, but Roy decided to go to Japan anyway. His idea was to go to Japan and return when his money ran out. He ended up living there in Tokyo, Hakata, and Okinawa for 24 years, working for the civil service. He met his wife, Keiko and it is there that he began composing music, a childhood dream of his. During his 18 years in Tokyo he studied voice lessons under the famous music composer Koga Masao at the Koga Voice School; he studied harmony under Ogura Shun a famous guitarist; and he also studied "Shigin," the singing or chanting of Chinese poems in an intense solo style, a popular form of poetry during the Tokugawa period. Roy also studied “Minyo” while he lived in Hakata.

In 1962 a major commercial record company selected two of Roy's melodies to be recorded for the first time. The Japan Victor Company recorded "Futari no Koi" and Shiawase wo Yobo” which was sung by Wada Hiroshi and the Mahina Stars, who were very popular singers at the time. The following year Roy held his first recital at the old Civic Auditorium. Some of the performers and guests who came from Japan included jazz koto player, Sawai Tadao; top comedian, Ban Junzaburo; lyricist, Kawauchi Kohan; composer, Nakamura Hachidai (wrote Sukiyaki with Ei Rokusuke); lyricist, Ei Rokusuke; and Kenji Takihara owner of Almond, the famous Japanese coffee shops.

Roy had penned many other music pieces sung by famous singers and recorded in Japan including “Otoko,” sung by Murata Hideo; "Yayama Heiwa Ondo" sung by Hamada Kiichi; "Shikano Shima Blues" sung by Kadokawa Hiroshi; and "Hawaii Ondo," sung by Satsuki Midori. This song was the theme song for a movie shot in Hawaii called "Eki Mae Ondo," which was part of a series of movies called "Eki Mae Series" produced by the Toho Company and starring big names such as Miki Norihei, Awashima Shikage, Ikeyuki Junko, Awaji Keiko, Ozora Mayumi, Morishige Hisaya and Ban Junzaburo.

Roy also composed songs that were recorded locally in Hawaii over the years: "I Love You Itsu Made Mo," "Koto No Ame," "Koi No Machi," and "Yuki No Yado" all sung by Elsie Kawamoto; "Matomo Ni Ikiru" sung by Sean Akita; "Its Christmas Time in Hawaii" sung by Richard Sakoda; and "Hawaii My Hawaii" sung by Clyde Mikuni.

Roy's civil service job brought him and Keiko back to Hawaii in 1974. Since then, he has given private music and voice lessons off and on for his friends and family. He is also very active in the karaoke community, judging many local singing contests including Radio KOHO Singing Contest, KZOO Karaoke Contest, Genji Club Contest, and the Japan-America Karaoke Festival (a Pan Pacific Festival event 1992, 1993, 1994). He has also participated in and contributed to the Pan-Pacific Festival for many years in other events besides the Japan-America Karaoke Festival, such as the Minyo Show and Bon Dance. In the 1990's he became the voice teacher at Ala Wai Karaoke Club whose members volunteer their talent at various nursing homes around the island. During the same period he also became the music director of the Esashi Oiwake Ishikawa Kai Hawaii Shibu (Esashi Oiwake is a form of traditional Japanese folk music). His Esashi Oiwake teacher is Ishikawa Keiji, who periodically comes to Hawaii from Japan to refresh everyone with lessons. Roy continues to lead these 2 groups in practices once a week. He has taught music for over 30 years, never receiving monetary compensation; he does it for the love of it. He teaches music to give back to the community and in his own way, help to preserve the traditions and culture of Japan.

Japanese music, in any form minyo, esashi oiwake, or pop is very special to Roy, who admits he cannot speak nor write Japanese fluently. He says the music speaks to his heart even though he lacks proficiency in the language. He truly connects with the music on a very basic level. He believes it was fate that sent him on his unintended trip to Japan in 1950. It sent him to the land of his ancestors where he honed his skills and was blessed with many fortunate opportunities and wonderful friends. It also brought him back to Hawaii so that he could to share his experiences with everyone here.