Yoshimitsu Ichiraku

Drums, Percussion, Electronics
Ichiraku was born in Yamaguchi, Japan, in 1959. Living in Yamaguchi City, 900 km away from Tokyo, he developed his own musical style over the years, and had no connection with or influence from the musical scene in the rest of Japan until the mid-nineties. In around 1993 and 1994, through musical collaborations and live sessions with artists such as Junji Hirose, Motoharu Yoshizawa, George Lewis, and Jin Hi Kim, among others, Ichiraku became involved in the scene. In 1995, he worked with Kim Dae Hwan, Kazuhisa Uchihashi, Jon Rose and Yoshihide Otomo; and in 1996 was active as a member of Korean trumpeter Choi Song Bae's trio, which received acclaim for its tour of Korea. Ichiraku has played both acoustic and electronically-modulated drums and percussion. 1998 was the year when he was the most devoted to electronics. In early '98, he formed I.S.O. with Sachiko M (sampler with sine waves) and Yoshihide Otomo (turntable, guitar, electronics). In almost all I.S.O. concerts in '98, Ichiraku left behind his drum set and used as his instruments only tiny electronic devices placed on a desk. In December '98, he released his ambitious electronic solo album The Music of Surround Panner on the Japanese label Zero Gravity. Currently, as a drummer, Ichiraku is a member of the blues band Googie Child, Seiichi Yamamoto's avant rock band Omoide Hatoba, and Kazuhisa Uchihashi's free jazz band Phantasmagoria. In 1999, Ichiraku formed the hard rock band Nishinihon with Makoto Kawabata (guitar) and Atsushi Tsuyama (bass). In early 2001, he joined Makoto Kawabata's psychedelic band Acid Mothers Temple & the Melting Paraiso U.F.O. Recently, Ichiraku has also continued to collaborate with Korean alto sax player Kang Tae Hwan. Ichiraku, Kang and Kazuhisa Uchihashi had a Japan tour in July 2000, and concerts in Seoul, South Korea in October 2000. In April 2001, Ichiraku and Kang will have a duo tour in Japan, with one or more guest musicians on each of several dates.