Hiroya Tsukamoto is a one of a kind composer and guitarist. He began his musical career playing the five-string banjo when he was thirteen, and took up the guitar shortly after.
In 1994, Hiroya entered The Osaka University of Foreign Studies and majored in Comparative Cultural Studies of South America. He developed a deep interest in jazz and formed a fusion band called Playa Azul. While at college in Japan, Hiroya was introduced to a musical and social movement in South America called Nueva Cancion headed by musical legends such as Victor Jara and Violeta Parra.
In 2000, Hiroya received a scholarship to Berklee College of Music and came to the United States. Since then, he has studied with Wayne Krantz, Mick Goodrick, Hal Crook and Adam Rogers. He is also the recipient of the Professional Music Achievement Award.
Hiroya's band, Interoceanico is a unique blend of musicians from different countries. They have performed many concerts throughout the Boston and New York area. Their music is an amalgamation of traditional rhythmic elements from various South American countries with western harmonies and japanese lyricism of melodies, resulting in a unique and original sound. It is best described as "Folkloric music with contemporary harmony in a jazz format.
Hiroya completed a full-length album entitiled The Other Side of the World with his band and released in March 2004. Hiroya had a tour to Japan with his group in November 2004 and Japan/Korea in August 2005. His composition entitled "El Otro Lado del Munco" was nominated as the finalists of latin category of The USA Songwriting Competition 2004 and "Samba de Siempre" in 2005.
In November 2006, Hiroya released his second album with his group entitled "Confluencia(Confluence)".