O'Jizo website

O'Jizo OFFICIAL WEBSITE

The Irish Traditional Music Unit from Japan.

ABOUT

O'Jizo

Members are Kozo Toyota, Koji Nagao, Hirofumi Nakamura.

2008年結成、豊田耕三、長尾晃司、中村大史によるアイリッシュ・ミュージックのインストルメンタル・バンド。 2011年、初のアルバム「Highlight」発表。2014年、テレビ東京「オレゴンを歩く~LONG TRAIL HIKING~」テーマソングを担当。2016年10月、アメリカ・ポートランドにて現地のミュージシャンを交えての録音を敢行。同ツアー中、ワシントン・Ocean Shoresで開催された「Galway Bay Celtic Music Feis」に出演。 2017年3月、ポートランドレコーディングによる2ndアルバム「Via Portland」発表。2018年まで3年連続でアメリカツアーを行い、同フェスティバルに参加し、大成功を収める。2018年はさらに活動拠点をハワイにまで広げる。2019年にはやはりポートランド録音の3rdアルバム「Cranking Out」をリリース。2021年3月、作曲・アレンジ・録音・ミックス・デザインを全てリモートで作り上げた4thアルバム「MiC -Music in Cube-」をリリース。同年、カナダの最も歴史あるケルト系音楽祭、Goderich Celtic Roots Festivalが主催するオンラインのコンテストthe Robinson Emerging Artist Showcaseで優勝し、2022年8月に同フェスティバルに出演し大成功を収める。2024年1月、アイルランドはDundalkで開催されたカンファレンス、Your Roots Are Showingに出演し、各国のフェスティバルの主催者、プロモーター、エージェント、ミュージシャンから絶賛される。8月にはアメリカの2つのフェスティバルと、カナダのGoderichのフェスティバルに再び出演予定。

O’Jizo is a trio of multi-instrumentalists from Tokyo, Japan who play traditional Irish music. Formed in 2008, the band plays both traditional arrangements and original compositions. Featuring the Irish wooden flute, and the Irish tin whistle, their sound is layered with combinations of the piano accordion, bouzouki, guitar, and mandolin. As authentic as a traditional music session by a turf fire in County Clare, Ireland, their unique style shows subtle influences -- from the smooth syncopation of Chicago jazz, to the driving rhythms of World music, and the soft flutter of cherry blossoms in the Land of the Rising Sun. O’Jizo perform -- with serene gleefulness -- the cutting edge of a new Celtic sound. Their warm personalities shine through on stage, and they enjoy meeting audience members one-on-one after a performance. Their path to Irish music began in childhood, with the magic of Tokyo Disneyland and Hollywood movies which introduced the band members to American music. Later, after advanced studies in ethnomusicology, and experimenting with classical and traditional music from around the world, the band members met each other and chose Irish music as their favourite. It was the natural choice because the music felt familiar and comfortable -- and is the root of many of the American music styles they were drawn to in their youth. With great respect for the music, they studied in Ireland and have since been welcomed back as Masters of the Tradition. They began as a duo called Jizo -- a combination of the last syllables of their first names: Koji and Kozo. The band decided to add an Irish flair when Hirofumi joined, and have been O’Jizo ever since. Influenced by many of the legends of Irish music -- The Chieftains, Altan, Lúnasa, Flook, Grada, Solas, Téada, and Beoga, the members of O’Jizo have been humbled by invitations to join their idols on stage. O’Jizo have thrilled thousands of people in audiences at many major festivals throughout Japan, on multiple tours, including I Love Ireland Festival, Celtic Christmas, Chō Utage, and Omni Heat Camp. In 2014, they composed and recorded the theme music for the television program, Walking in Oregon" by Columbia SportsWear Japan. In 2016 and 2018, O’Jizo travelled to America to record two albums: Via Portland and Cranking Out. In 2021, they were featured in Irish Music Magazine and included in the magazine’s prestigious online concert series. Also in 2021, they won the Robinson Emerging Artist Showcase, and have been invited to perform at Canada’s longest running pan-Celtic festival, Goderich Celtic Roots Festival in 2022. In 2024, they took part in the conference called "Your Roots Are Showing" at Dundalk in Ireland, and their performance got standing ovation. O’Jizo’s current album, released in 2021 is MiC--Music in Cube which is a play on words. The album, made at home during lockdown, features several new compositions. O’Jizo plans to release a fifth album before commencing their tour in US and Canada in 2024.

https://www.ojizo.org

Latest ALBUM

MiC -Music in Cube- / O'Jizo

2021.03.14 on sale / 全6曲 / ¥2,200 (tax included) 

マイクロフォンの向こうに広がる景色に想いを馳せて。
メンバー3人がそれぞれに作曲、アレンジ、録音、ミックスを担当。今の時代に生まれるべくして生まれた意欲作「MiC -Music in Cube-」!
DISC information / MiC -Music in Cube-特設ページ

MEMBER

豊田 耕三
Kozo Toyota
豊田 耕三
Irish Flute & Whistles

東京芸術大学音楽学部楽理科卒業、同大学大学院音楽研究科修士課程修了。2009年、日本人として初めてオール・アイルランド・フラー・キョールのコンペティション本戦に出場。2016年、前述のコンペティションのホイッスル・スローエア部門で3位入賞。O’Jizoの他に、同コンペティションのケーリー・バンド部門にアジア圏から初出場しアイルランドでも大きな話題となったToyota Ceili Band等複数のユニットを主宰。詩と音楽のコラボレーショングループVOICE SPACEに参加する他、地元千葉県船橋市の二宮神社のお囃子神楽連にも所属し、篠笛を中心に伝統芸能の担い手としても活動中。東京芸術大学ケルト音楽研究部(g-celt)、Intercollegiate Celtic Festival、FisdaM等、グループやフェスティバルを数多く立ち上げ、日本の若手がアイルランド音楽に熱中する火付け役となる。2017年、アイルランドの国宝級バンドThe Chieftains、特にフルートの第一人者Matt Molloyと共演。同年「題名のない音楽会」、2018年「らららクラシック」出演。

Kozo Toyota is born in Tokyo in 1981.
B.A. in Musicology and Master of Music Education in Tokyo University of the Arts.
He started to learn Irish music when he was 24 years. He founded O’Jizo, Toyota Ceili Band and so on, several music units. He is also member of VOICE SPACE, new style poetry leading and music group. And besides he plays Japanese traditional music with mainly bamboo flute at Ohayashi and Kagura team in his local shrine, too. He took part in a lot of recordings of musicians, singers, movie, TV drama, TV program and TV game. He got 3rd prize of the whistle slow air at the competition of All Ireland Fleadh Cheoil. He founded several music gropes, communities and festivals of Irish music and dance in Japan, like g-celt, Intercollegiate Celtic Festival, FisdaM, and so on, and has made triggers which involve young people in Irish music and dance in Japan.

http://www.kozo-toyota.com/

長尾 晃司
Koji Nagao
長尾 晃司
guitar, banjo & mandolin

アイルランド西海岸の街、エニスにて毎夜行われるセッションの中でアイリッシュギターを学ぶ。現在もアイリッシュパブ仕込みの無骨でいてノリの良いギタースタイルを持ち味として、HARMONICA CREAMS, tricolor, MODERN IRISH PROJECT等のグループに参加。自身の参加グループで2012年から毎年スペインのガリシア、アストリアス地方のケルト音楽フェスを回るEUツアーを慣行。現地でも高い評価を得る。

Koji Nagao started to learn to play Irish music with guitar at several sessions in Ennis, co.Clare, Ireland. He is good at making sharp rhythm in the groove. He is a member of HARMONICA CREAMS , tricolor , MODERN IRISH PROJECT and so on. His band go to EU to take part in Celtic music festival in Galicia and Asturias every year since 2012 and receive high praise.

https://www.kojinagao.com

中村 大史
Hirofumi Nakamura
中村 大史
Accordion & Bouzouki

幼少期よりピアノに親しみ、その後ギター、ブズーキ、アコーディオン、マンドリンを演奏するマルチプレイヤーとなる。tricolor, John John Festival, O’Phan 等数々のアイルランド音楽バンドのメンバーとして活躍する一方、シンガーソングライターやバンドへのライブサポートや録音参加、アコーディオンデュオmomo椿* では芝居やコンテンポラリーダンスの音楽を担当する等活動は多岐に渡る。 北海道生まれ、東京芸術大学音楽環境創造科卒。 2013年、ミュージカル「100万回生きたねこ」出演。2014年、Illawarra Folk Festival(オーストラリア)出演、Inbal Pinto & Avshalom Pollak Dance Company(イスラエル)「WALLFLOWER」出演。 2015年春、吉祥寺に「食堂・音楽室 アルマカン」をオープン。

Hirofumi Nakamura was born in Hokkaido. He started to play the piano when he is very young. Through his student days, he became a multi player, who can play the guitar, the bouzouki, the accordion and the mandolin. He is a member of several Irish music bands, like tricolor, John John Festival, O’Phan and so on. He also plays as support musician for several singer song writers, bands and recordings. And besides, he is a member of a accordion duo, momo Tsubaki*, that compose and play music for drama and contemporary dance. He played at a musical "The cat that lived a million times” in 2012. He performed at Illawarra Folk Festival in Australia, and played at “WALLFLOWER” by Inbal Pinto & Avshalom Pollak Dance Company in 2014. B.A. in Musical Creativity and Environment in Tokyo University of the Arts.

http://hirofuminakamura.com

CONTACT

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