"70 Years of Jazz Life, No Need for Sheet Music" Okinawa's Oldest 89-Year-Old Drummer [Japanese Side]

Mr. Ginjo Yoshiyo Carrying on the Name of 'Okinawa Jazz'
Performs Without Sheet Music... Live Shows Twice a Week

These days, I am completely hooked on futsal. The term "experience" definitely makes sense. After playing futsal for three months, even the kids playing neighborhood soccer easily outmaneuver me, and when I watch early morning soccer matches with players boasting 30 to 40 years of experience, the elders almost look like national team players.

So, what about a drummer with 70 years of experience? Recently, Japan's TBS broadcast featured a story about Okinawa's oldest drummer, 89-year-old Ginjo Yoshiyo. He still performs live without looking at sheet music, and his seasoned skills have become a hot topic. Today, we share the story of Ginjo Yoshiyo, an 89-year-old drummer who has dedicated 70 years solely to jazz.

Yoshiyo Ginjo playing the drums. (Photo by TBS Japan)

First, we need to touch on the relationship between Okinawa and jazz. After Japan's defeat in World War II, Okinawa came under American administration. The U.S. military stationed there introduced American culture, including jazz, to ease their homesickness. This is also why Okinawa, unlike mainland Japan, features exotic dishes such as taco rice, steak, Hawaiian burgers, and Spam. Okinawa embraced the jazz culture brought by the U.S. military and developed a new culture known as "Okinawa Jazz."

Originally, Ginjo played the trumpet as part of a club activity at a high school in Naha, Okinawa. When the U.S. military base was established, he was invited to play in a band as a part-time job. Due to his family's financial difficulties, he borrowed the club's trumpet after school and worked part-time playing music.

During this time, a vacancy opened up for a drummer, and he accepted the offer to try drumming, eventually switching to drums. After graduating from high school, he continued performing as part of a band touring U.S. military bases.

Even now, at 89 years old, he performs drums for about an hour and a half twice a week at jazz bars in downtown Naha. He reportedly never looks at sheet music, no matter the spontaneous requests. Thanks to his 70 years as a drummer, standard jazz rhythms are ingrained in his body automatically.

Kinjo Yoshiyo giving instructions during practice. (Photo by TBS Japan)

He has also preserved valuable materials for future generations. He transcribed all authentic American jazz materials from the period before Okinawa was returned to Japan after U.S. military administration. Since there were no sheet music copies brought to Okinawa at the time, he listened carefully and copied everything by hand. He wrote down nearly 200 songs of the latest American jazz popular in the 1950s and 1960s, first capturing the notes on guitar, then dividing them into drum, bass, and piano parts, and memorizing the pieces through diligent practice.

However, after Okinawa was returned to mainland Japan, Okinawa jazz culture rapidly declined. There were fewer people singing and less work available. Those with a Class 2 driver's license barely kept the tradition alive by working as taxi drivers.

Still, Ginjo wants to pass on the history of Okinawa jazz to the next generation. In 2015, he reformed his band and used the sheet music he had transcribed during the U.S. military administration to perform Okinawa jazz for today's generation. At last month's regular concert, 150 jazz fans ranging from young people to the elderly came to listen to his music.

When asked why he continues to make music, Ginjo gave a simple answer in an interview with Ryukyu Broadcasting: "If you try it, you'll understand?jazz is really fun. I've been doing it for 70 years, and if it wasn't enjoyable, I would have quit."

Ginjo, who says he still enjoys jazz after 70 years, truly embodies the saying that no one can beat someone who enjoys what they do. For reference, Ginjo performs at "Cam's House," a jazz bar in downtown Naha, from 9 PM to 11 PM on Mondays, and at "Fill In," another jazz bar in downtown Naha, from 7 PM to midnight on Fridays. If you are planning a trip to Okinawa and are interested, it would be great to visit and enjoy his seasoned performances.