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Shungo Sawada

1930 – 2006

Japanese jaz guitarist, composer, teacher

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About Shungo Sawada

Lived 1930 – 2006 (aged 76). Shungo Sawada was a Japanese composer, teacher, guitarist and jazz guitarist.

Shungo Sawada (born Tokyo, February 10, 1930 - died August 28, 2006) was a Japanese jazz guitarist.

Sawada began playing guitar at twelve years old, and played in his early twenties on US military installations. He founded his own group, Double Beats, in 1954, and led a five-piece band in the mid-1960s. His Japanese sidemen included Shotaro Moriyasu, Norio Maeda, Akitoshi Igarashi, and Motohiko Hino; he also played with visiting American musicians such as Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Goodman, Thad Jones, Helen Merrill, Oscar Peterson, and Sonny Stitt. He was the founder of the label Elec in 1972, and later taught at Roots College of Music in Tokyo.

Discography Top Stars in Guitar (Toshiba, 1967) Go Go Scat (King, 1968) Fool on the Hill (Victor, 1969) Formation (Victor, 1970) Super Guitar 4 Vol. 1 Live at the Grand Hotel Hamamatsu (1974) Guitar Bossa with Sadanori Nakamure (RCA, 1977) Mas Que Nada (RCA, 1978) Shiroi Cho No Samba / Guitar In Blue Night (Royal Records, circa 1970)

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Important facts

Birth century
Awards
Fumio Nanri Award
Also known as
Sawada Shungo

People in Shungo Sawada's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Shungo Sawada's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Shungo Sawada?

Japanese jaz guitarist, composer, teacher (1930-2006)

When was Shungo Sawada born?

Shungo Sawada was born on 10 February 1930 in Nishiuwa district.

When did Shungo Sawada die?

Shungo Sawada died on 28 August 2006 in Tokyo.

What was Shungo Sawada's occupation?

Shungo Sawada was a composer, teacher, guitarist and jazz guitarist.

What nationality was Shungo Sawada?

Shungo Sawada was Japanese.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Shungo Sawada

· Wikidata: Q11565993

· DBpedia: Shungo Sawada

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Shungo Sawada. https://biography.guide/shungo-sawada/

MLA: "Shungo Sawada." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/shungo-sawada/.

Chicago: "Shungo Sawada." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/shungo-sawada/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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