| Earlier, in his twenties, he started out pursuing
his talents in literature and became a writer. His works, especially
his story titled "Indio no mabushii kami" about Japan's
ethnic minority, won enthusiastic praise within Japan's publishing
circles. During this period, he also became deeply interested in
literary works that were becoming lost in the shuffle of contemporary
Japanese society: novels like the "Tales of Genji", as
well as Buddhist folktales and Zen philosophical works.
These interests breathed life into his music, and the
sensibilities and philosophical views which he developed
during his literary years have come to be reflected in
large measure in the music he creates today.
An example of this can be detected in the sounds of bells
heard so frequently in his music. The giant bells found
in Japanese temples are rung each New Year's eve. The sound
is believed to purify and wash away the cares of this mortal
world, and crowds flock to listen in reverent silence.
What they listen for, however, is not the sound at the
moment the bell is struck, but rather the fading sound
that follows. As the sound fades away, simultaneously,
the depth of their own silence grows even greater. In this
way, the sound of the bell makes people aware of the profound
silence -- and richness -- lying within themselves. It
is silence of a depth fundamentally identical to that which
is engendered through meditation or Zen.
The temple bell, meditation and Zen are all ways of penetrating into
the depths of one's self.
Nagaya began his carrier as a solo musician with the 1999
release of his first album, "Utsuho". He has
released an additional 6 solo albums since then, as of
2007.
In 2002, he released a collaboration entitled "Resonator" with
the American avant-garde composer Carl Stone.
In 2004, Nagaya`s tracks were used extensively in "Gaia Symphony
No. 4", a well-known documentary flim directed by Jin Tatsumura.
In 2005, he composed the sound track for the Mexican film "WA".
In 2007, Nagaya appeared in the movie "Gaia Symphony No. 6".
Also in 2007, he published a book, "For All the Radiant Darknesses",
a collection of his essays which is about his life, remarkable persons
he has met, and reflections on his travels in troubled societies in the
third world (developing world).
In 2008, Nagaya joined with the compilation album "Tranchillizer" which
was released by the chill out & trance label, Peak Records, in Switzerland.
Nagaya is active as a performer of lve music in Japan,
the US and the other countries. He has Collaborated with
an eclectic range of artists, from musicians, dancers or
painters to monks of esoteric Tibetan Buddhism, channelers,
and a Native American story teller in Alaska.
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