Otomo Yoshihide

Otomo Yoshihide
大友 良英
Otomo performing live at Club w71 in Weikersheim in 2007
Background information
Born (1959-08-01) August 1, 1959
Yokohama, Japan
GenresJazz, noise, avant-garde jazz
Occupation(s)Musician, composer
Instrument(s)Guitar, turntables
Years active1987-present
LabelsRecommended, P-Vine, Tzadik, Erstwhile

Otomo Yoshihide (大友 良英, Ōtomo Yoshihide, born August 1, 1959) is a Japanese composer and multi-instrumentalist. He mainly plays guitar, turntables and electronics.

He first came to international prominence in the 1990s as the leader of the experimental rock group Ground Zero, and has since worked in a variety of contexts, ranging from free improvisation to noise, jazz, avant-garde and contemporary classical. He is also a pioneering figure in the EAI-scene, and is featured on important records on labels like Erstwhile Records. He has composed music for many films, television dramas, and commercials. In 2017, Otomo became the 2nd Guest Artistic Director of The Sapporo International Art Festival 2017.