Library Person

Otomo Yoshihide

Japanese guitarist, turntablist, and composer, leader of Ground Zero and a central figure of Japanese free improvisation.

Born in Yokohama and raised in Fukushima, Otomo Yoshihide moved to Tokyo in 1979 to study under free-jazz pioneer Masayuki Takayanagi. He debuted as a noise turntablist on his self-titled 1987 album, using turntables to explore abstract textures rather than conventional DJ technique, and in 1990 formed Ground Zero, a fluid experimental noise-rock ensemble built around collaged samples, free improvisation, and rock instrumentation, disbanded in 1998 after five studio albums. Working across guitar, turntables, and electronics, he became a central figure of Japanese free improvisation and its Tokyo onkyo scene, recording extensively with Sachiko M, including Filament 2: Secret Recordings (1999) with Günter Müller.

Works in the Library