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BATAYAN - A TROUBADOUR'S HOMECOMING

O-SU, BATAYAN

By Motown TAMURA

PONY CANYON INC - as SALES All rights, World

Documentary - Completed 2013

"Batayan" - The nickname of a much-beloved, 94 year old, one-eyed guitar picking bluesman named Yoshio Tabata, and he was the first musician to adopt the electric guitar in Japan. He passed away this April. Take this chance to see original Japanese blues at their very finest.

- Year of production
- 2013
- Genres
- Documentary
- Countries
- JAPAN
- Languages
- JAPANESE
- Duration
- 95 mn
- Director(s)
- Motown TAMURA
- Cast
- Yoshio TABATA, Jun HAMADA
- Synopsis
- "Batayan" - The nickname of a much-beloved, 94 year old, one-eyed guitar-picking bluesman named Yoshio Tabata. He was the first musician to adopt the electric guitar in Japan and his career pre-dates such figures as the "Father of the Blues" Muddy Waters and the iconic Chuck Berry. Beginning with his pre-War debut, he sang throughout WW2 and went on to accompany Japan's return to vigour in the 50's and beyond in a career that spanned over 70 years.
  Rising up from working class roots, his mass-appeal won him a place in the hearts of the entire nation. This documentary revolves around a concert he gave while in his late 80's before an adoring audience of grey-haired fans. His dilapidated yet trusty 50 year old guitar by his side, he descends into the crowd to banter with them just as he always did.
  Batayan was also a lady-killer of legend. Notwithstanding this, he also enjoyed a legion of male fans. But the complexity of the man is reflected in the words of his fourth wife: "As a performer, he's without compare but as a human being, I wouldn't really recommend him..." He was a unique presence and deserves his place in the annals of entertainment history.
  He passed away on April 25th of 2013. Take this chance to see original Japanese blues at their very finest.