Tak Matsumoto

Tak Matsumoto – born Takahiro Matsumoto in Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan on March 27, 1961 – is a guitarist, songwriter and producer best known as one-half of The B’z, the rock duo who have become Japan’s best-selling home grown group. Outside his work with The B’z, he has also managed a successful solo career and has been honored with many awards including a 2010 Grammy Award for the album Take Your Pick, a collaboration with Larry Carlton. Tak Matsumoto’s musical journey began when he began learning to play the guitar at the age of 13 and purchasing his first electric guitar two years later. He attended a jazz school and became a session musician, tackling a myriad of styles before finding his own ‘voice’ on guitar. After releasing his acclaimed solo debut, Thousand Wave, in May 1988, he discovered vocalist Koshi Inaba and decided to form a rock duo with him. Calling themselves The B’z, the duo released their self-titled debut album in September 1988. The album entered the Top 50 and paved the way for an additional 21 studio albums, 19 of which reached the top of the Japanese Albums chart. Eight of the group’s 12 compilation albums reached number 1, as did four of their live albums. The B’z have earned many honors throughout their career including numerous Japan Gold Disc Awards. While busy with The B’z, Tak Matsumoto continued his solo career and released over a dozen solo albums, many of which reached the Top 5: Wanna Go Home (1992), Knockin’ ‘T’ Around (1999), Dragon from the West (2002), Hana (2002), The Hit Parade (2003), Strings of My Soul (2012), New Horizon (2014), Enigma (2016), Bluesman (2020) and The Hit Parade II (2024). He also collaborated with American jazz guitarist Larry Carlton on the Grammy Award-winning album Take Your Pick (2010). He also collaborated with musician Daniel Ho on the 2007 album Electric Island, Acoustic Sea. Tak Matsumoto formed the band TMG (Tak Matsumoto Group) with American rockers Eric Martin (Mr. Big) and Jack Blades (Night Ranger), who released two albums: TMG I (2004) and the long awaited TMG II (2024).