Tak Matsumoto "Hana"

Championed in his homeland as the most renowned guitarist in all of Asia, Tak Matsumoto is equally revered as chief songwriter, guitarist and producer of the Japanese rock band, B'z. Counting a legacy of 12 albums, B'z truly means big business, having sold a combined 80 million units in Japan alone, not surprisingly making them Japan's best-selling band in history. 2002, in particular, served as a landmark year for Tak with the Japanese release of his much heralded instrumental albums, "Hana" and "Dragon From The West". "Hana", most noticeably, garnered rave reviews, its powerfully flowing melodies evocative of scenic horizons of the Orient. The album's bonus track, "Trinity," finds Tak stretching the boundaries of "rock" guitar, blending different tastes in the melodies while retaining the same distinctive Japanese spirit.