Photo by Andreas Ulvo
Tetuzi Akiyama
Tetuzi Akiyama is a highly unique and experimental guitarist heavily applying free improvisation and noise. Besides guitar, he also plays electronics, viola, and self-made instruments. Akiyama released his first solo album Relator [slub music] in 2001. Mixing feelings of country and blues with free improvisation, Akiyama began to perform solo with greater frequency playing both acoustic and electric guitars, turntables without records and other effects. Using a prepared resonator guitar with a Samurai sword, Akiyama recorded his second solo album Resophonie (a bruit secret, 2002) which can be described as sonic sculpture with guitar. In 2003, his third solo album Don't Forget to Boogie! was released. Performed in a minimal one chord Boogie/Rock/Blues style with vintage electric guitars, Akiyama sees this LP as a tribute to the guitar. A live album from 2005, Route 13 to the Gates of Hell: Live in Tokyo (headz) was selected in the 50 albums of the year by The Wire magazine. Pre-Existence, an album of acoustic guitar solos, was released on Locust Music in the winter of 2005.
Akiyama is a frequent guest at international music festivals and in recent years has performed at What is Music? (Australia, 2002), Alt Music (New Zealand, 2002 & 2004), Amplify (Tokyo, 2002 & New York, 2003), Musique Action (France, 2003 & 2005), Musiques Innovatrices (France, 2003), Uchiage (Berlin & Vienna, 2004) and Instal (Glasgow, 2005).
Tetuzi appears on the following SOFA-releases
- Akiyama / Taxt / Lønning / Reinertsen
«Varianter av døde trær» (acoustic and electric guitar) - Koboku Senjû «Selektiv hogst» (guitar)