Biography
Though mainstream outlets have largely overlooked him, Taku Sugimoto stands as an iconic figure within avant-garde music communities. The Japanese guitarist has undergone complete transformations in his approach multiple times, shifting from a psychedelic and noise-infused rock identity toward an ultra-minimal style of free improvisation. He ranks among the central figures in the so-called "onkyo" movement, which represents Tokyo's equivalent to Berlin reductionism, emphasizing silence over sonic elements. Beginning in 1995 and with increased frequency after 1999, he conducts regular tours across Europe and America while accumulating a series of album releases.
Sugimoto first engaged with the electric guitar during his high school years, mirroring countless adolescents. His initial musical focus lay in rock, though it soon broadened to encompass free jazz alongside the European tradition of improvised music. Nevertheless, his earliest professional endeavors remained anchored in alternative rock with noise elements. The initial release came as a 7" single alongside the psychedelic rock ensemble Piero Manzoni in 1986. This project concluded in 1988, prompting the guitarist to issue his debut solo effort Mienai Tenshi independently and to concentrate on session contributions.
In 1991, Sugimoto dramatically altered his trajectory by setting aside the guitar in favor of the cello. He utilized this instrument within Henkyo Gakudan, an energetic improvisation collective that included saxophonist Hiroshi Itsui and guitarist Michio Kurihara; the group endured for two years and produced two self-released cassettes. Additionally, Sugimoto made brief appearances in Ghost as well as Tetuzi Akiyama's Hikyo String Quintet. This chapter concluded upon the 1994 issuance of the solo cello recording Slub, after which he relinquished the instrument.
Returning to guitar duties in 1994, Sugimoto inverted his direction to investigate progressively subdued musical territories. He methodically refined his technique, progressing through an interval of brief, disconnected tonal phrases before advancing to more radical methods such as striking the guitar's body or tracing fingers deliberately along the fretboard. This development manifested initially through the Akiyama-Sugimoto guitar partnership and solo performances, yet he also collaborated with sympathetic Tokyo-based artists including Toshimaru Nakamura, Yoshihide Otomo, and Sachiko M, in addition to international counterparts like Günter Müller, Keith Rowe, Kevin Drumm, and Burkhard Stangl. From 1998 onward, he shared organizational responsibilities with Akiyama and Nakamura for a monthly concert series titled Improvisation: Meeting at Bar Aoyama, subsequently retitled Meeting at Off Site following a venue change. These events form the foundation of the "onkyo" scene—applying the label broadly, as it lacks formal organization—and have generated various limited-edition compilation albums.
Sugimoto first engaged with the electric guitar during his high school years, mirroring countless adolescents. His initial musical focus lay in rock, though it soon broadened to encompass free jazz alongside the European tradition of improvised music. Nevertheless, his earliest professional endeavors remained anchored in alternative rock with noise elements. The initial release came as a 7" single alongside the psychedelic rock ensemble Piero Manzoni in 1986. This project concluded in 1988, prompting the guitarist to issue his debut solo effort Mienai Tenshi independently and to concentrate on session contributions.
In 1991, Sugimoto dramatically altered his trajectory by setting aside the guitar in favor of the cello. He utilized this instrument within Henkyo Gakudan, an energetic improvisation collective that included saxophonist Hiroshi Itsui and guitarist Michio Kurihara; the group endured for two years and produced two self-released cassettes. Additionally, Sugimoto made brief appearances in Ghost as well as Tetuzi Akiyama's Hikyo String Quintet. This chapter concluded upon the 1994 issuance of the solo cello recording Slub, after which he relinquished the instrument.
Returning to guitar duties in 1994, Sugimoto inverted his direction to investigate progressively subdued musical territories. He methodically refined his technique, progressing through an interval of brief, disconnected tonal phrases before advancing to more radical methods such as striking the guitar's body or tracing fingers deliberately along the fretboard. This development manifested initially through the Akiyama-Sugimoto guitar partnership and solo performances, yet he also collaborated with sympathetic Tokyo-based artists including Toshimaru Nakamura, Yoshihide Otomo, and Sachiko M, in addition to international counterparts like Günter Müller, Keith Rowe, Kevin Drumm, and Burkhard Stangl. From 1998 onward, he shared organizational responsibilities with Akiyama and Nakamura for a monthly concert series titled Improvisation: Meeting at Bar Aoyama, subsequently retitled Meeting at Off Site following a venue change. These events form the foundation of the "onkyo" scene—applying the label broadly, as it lacks formal organization—and have generated various limited-edition compilation albums.
Albums
