Meet the Japanese Guitarist Who’s Dedicated His Life to Emulating Jimmy Page
The documentary Mr. Jimmy, which chronicles Japanese guitarist Akio "Mr. Jimmy" Sakurai's lifelong dedication to honoring Jimmy Page by emulating the Led Zeppelin icon's guitar playing, is scheduled for release in theaters Sept. 1.
You can now watch a trailer for the movie that first premiered at the film festival SXSW 2019.
See it down near the bottom of this post.
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Sakurai's impassioned pursuit led him to recreate bygone Led Zeppelin gigs in small Tokyo clubs for 30 years before the real Jimmy Page heard about him and stopped in to see him play one night. Page's subsequent blessing inspired Sakurai to move to Los Angeles and join the Led Zeppelin tribute band Led ZepAgain. Later, Sakurai joined Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Evening, the tribute led by the son of late Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham.
Plus, the Mr. Jimmy documentary has received Led Zeppelin's blessing to feature multiple Led Zeppelin songs as performed by Sakurai.
Mr. Jimmy Has Lots of Music
The film additionally includes Mr. Page's songwriting before Led Zeppelin with the Yardbirds' "White Summer," and after Led Zeppelin with The Firm's "Midnight Moonlight" — each are performed by Sakurai, as a press release explains. Surrounding the Page and Zeppelin compositions is a bevy of blues and rock songs by artists including Elvis Presley, John Lee Hooker, Otis Rush and others.
Find a movie theater near you showing Mr. Jimmy from Sept. 1 at mrjimmymovie.com.
Mr. Jimmy Movie Poster + Synopsis
Akio Sakurai has dedicated his life to honoring Jimmy Page. For 30 years, he recreated vintage Zeppelin concerts note-for-note in small Tokyo clubs, until the real Jimmy Page stopped by one night, and Akio's life changed forever. Inspired by Mr. Page's ovation, Akio quits his 'salary man' job, leaving behind his family to move to L.A. and join [the Led Zeppelin tribute band] Led ZepAgain. Soon, cultures clash and Akio's idyllic vision of America meets with reality. An auditory delight for music fans everywhere, this enthralling film received Led Zeppelin's blessing to feature music from more than twenty-five of their songs as performed by Mr. Jimmy. Prepare to be inspired by 'Mr. Jimmy,' an extraordinary story of passion, music, and the pursuit of dreams.
