Kenji_Ozawa
Kenji Ozawa
Musical artist
Kenji Ozawa (小沢 健二, Ozawa Kenji) is a Japanese musician, designer and writer. Ozawa was a member of the pop duo Flipper's Guitar, and said to be one of the musicians that found and influenced so-called Shibuya-kei music style.[1] He graduated from the University of Tokyo. His uncle Seiji Ozawa was a noted conductor.
Kenji Ozawa | |
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On stage in 2024 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | (1968-04-14) April 14, 1968 (age 56) |
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| Years active | 1987-present |
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| Website | 小沢健二 ひふみよ Official Site |
Ozawa was born on April 14, 1968, in Sagamihara, Kanagawa. His father Toshio Ozawa is a professor (German Literature) and his mother Makiko Ozawa is a clinical psychologist.
Ozawa's first claim to fame was as a member of the pop duo Flipper's Guitar. After the disband of the group, he debuted as a solo musician in 1993.
"Konya wa Boogie Back" (BOOGIE BACK), Ozawa's 3rd single released in 1994, which was a collaboration with Japanese Hip-Hop group Scha Dara Parr became a smash hit. The album "LIFE" was highly evaluated; it was voted #1 Album of 1990's J-pop/rock albums in a "Music Magazine".
After releasing several works, Ozawa stopped his activity as a musician in Japan after 1998. He released "Eclectic" in 2002, and "Ecology of Everyday Life" which was an instrumental album in 2006, and also started writing "USAGI!" a nursery-story-style writing about the social environment, but never showed up in front of the audiences as a pop musician.
In 2010, Ozawa suddenly announced a concert tour "Hihumiyo" and restarted his public activity in Japan, and held several events and concerts. Also he married American photographer Elizabeth Coll, later giving birth to two sons Rion and Amanu.
In 2017, "Ryuudoutai ni Tsuite (On Fluid)" was released as a CD. It has been 19 years since the last single was released. Album "So kakkoii Uchuu (So kakkoii Pluriverse)" was released in 2019.
CD singles
| Title | English Title | Released | Tracks | Note | |
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| 1 | Tenki Yomi | TENKI-YOMI | July 21, 1993 |
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| 2 | Kurayami Kara Te Wo Nobase | REACH OUT OF THE DARKNESS | December 1, 1993 |
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| 3 | Konya Wa Boogie Back | BOOGIE BACK (nice vocal) | March 9, 1994 |
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released as [Kenji Ozawa featuring Scha Dara Parr]
"Konya wa Boogie Back" (BOOGIE BACK (smooth rap)) is also released as [Scha Dara Parr feat. Kenji Ozawa] |
| 4 | Aishi Aisarete Ikirunosa / Tokyo Ren-ai Senka・Mata wa Koi wa Ittemirya Body Blow | Love Is What We Need / Love Is Like a Body Blow | July 20, 1994 |
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| 5 | Lovely | LOVELY | August 31, 1994 |
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Also released as Analog Single on November 23, 1995 |
| 6 | Carolla II ni Notte | - | January 1, 1995 |
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Lyric / Music not written by Kenji Ozawa |
| 7 | Ozawa Kenji = Tsusumi Kyohei Song Book
Tsuyoi Kimochi Tsuyoi Ai / Sore wa Chotto |
Metropolitan Love Affair / I'm Afraid Not | February 28, 1995 |
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Music written by Kyōhei Tsutsumi |
| 8 | Door wo Knock Suru Nowa Dareda? | Who's Gonna Knock the Door? | March 29, 1995 |
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| 9 | Senjo no Boys Life | - | May 17, 1995 |
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| 10 | Sayonara Nante Ienaiyo | NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE | November 8, 1995 |
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| 11 | Tsuukai Ukiuki Doori | - | December 20, 1995 |
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| 12 | Bokura ga Tabi ni Deru Riyuu (Single Edit) | Letters, Lights, Travels On the Streets (Single Edit) | May 16, 1996 |
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| 13 | Otona ni Nareba | - | September 30, 1996 |
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| 14 | Yume ga Yume nara | - | November 29, 1996 |
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| 15 | Buddy / Koishikute | - | July 16, 1997 |
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Also released as Analog Single on August 8, 1997 |
| 16 | Yubi Saemo / Dice wo Korogase | - | September 18, 1997 |
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Also released as Analog Single on the same date |
| 17 | Aru Hikari | - | December 10, 1997 |
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Also released as Analog Single on January 1, 1998 |
| 18 | Haru ni Shite Kimi wo Omou | - | January 28, 1998 |
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| 19 | Ryuudoutai ni Tsuite | On Fluid | February 22, 2017 |
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| 20 | Fukurou no Koe ga Kikoeru | I Hear an Owl | September 6, 2017 |
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Released as Ozawa Kenji to Sekai no Owari |
| 21 | Arpeggio (Kitto Mahou no Tunnel no Saki) | Arpeggio (Through The Wondrous Tunnel) | February 14, 2018 |
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| 22 | Hikou Suru Kimi to Boku no Tameni / Unmei, Toiuka UFO ni (Do it Do it) | The Crescent Shines / Destiny or an UFO | December 22, 2021 |
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Digital singles
| Title | English Title | Released | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shikkasho Bushi | July 6, 2010 | ||
| 2 | Tsuyoi Kimochi Tsuyoi Ai (1995 DAT Mix) | Metropolitan Love Affair (1995 DAT Mix) | April 4, 2019 | |
| 3 | Suisei | Like A Comet | October 11, 2019 | |
| 4 | Ultraman Zenbu | Ultraman Zenbu | March 9, 2021 | |
| 5 | El Fuego (The Honoo) | El Fuego | April 21, 2021 | |
| 6 | Naichau | Makes My Cry | May 26, 2021 | |
| 7 | Lovely (Remaster Short Edit) | Lovely (Remaster Short Edit) | December 21, 2022 | Analog Record also released on January 27, 2023 |
| 8 | Haru ni Shite Kimi wo Omou (2023 Remaster) | Childish Tango (2023 Remaster) | June 20, 2023 | |
| 9 | Toudai Kyuuhyakubankoudou Kougi ep | 1. Noize
2. River Suite Kawa No Kumikyoku Arpeggio(Kitto Mahou No Tunnel No Saki)/Ichounamiki No Serenade (Tokyo Garden Theater Live 2022) |
January 12, 2024 | Track 1 Vocal: Mahito The People |
Albums
| Title | English Title | Released | Note | JPN[2] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Inu wa Hoeru ga Caravan wa Susumu | - | September 29, 1993 | re-released as "dogs" in 1997
Re-issued as the original title with bonus disc in 2021 |
9 |
| 2nd | LIFE | LIFE | August 31, 1994 | Also released as an Analog Record | 5 |
| 3rd | Kyuutai no Kanaderu Ongaku | - | October 16, 1996 | 1 | |
| 4th | Eclectic | Eclectic | February 27, 2002 | 7 | |
| - | Setsuna | - | December 27, 2003 | Compilation Album | 29 |
| 5th | Ecology of Everyday Life Mainichi no Kankyou Gaku | - | March 8, 2006 | Instrumental Album | 35 |
| - | Warera, Toki | - | March 19, 2014 | Live Album from "Hihumiyo" Tour in 2010. Limited Edition was originally released in March 21, 2012. | 20 |
| 6th | So kakkoii Uchuu | So kakkoii Pluriverse | November 13, 2019 | 3 | |
Written works
- DOOWUTCHYALiKE (1994-1997)
- USAGI! (2005-2017)
- Kigyo teki na shakai, Therapy teki na shakai (2007)
- Mahouteki Monologue Daihon (2016)
- Haru Sora Niji no sho (2017)
- Ice Cream ga Tokete Shimau Maeni (Kazuku no Halloween no tameno rensaku) as Ozawa Kenji to Nichibei Kyoufu Gakkai (2017) / Picture Book
- Toudai Kyuuhyakubankoudou Kougi Kyoukasho (2023) / Text book
Video program
- Tokyo, Music & Us 2017-2018 (Apple Music)[3]
Concert / tour
- Hibiya Yagai Ongakudo Free Concert (1993)
- DISCO TO GO (1994)
- THE LIFE SHOW (1994)
- VILLAGE (1995)
- Revue'96 (1996)
- "lover" (1996)
- Hihumiyo (2010)
- Tokyo no Machi ga Kanaderu (2012)
- Mahouteki (2016)
- Haru no Kuuki ni Niji wo Kake (2018)
- Tobase wangan 2 nights, guitar bass drums de So kakkoii Uchuu e (2019)
- So kakkoii Uchuu Shows (2022)
- Toudai Kyuuhyakubankoudou Kougi (2023)
- Monochromatique (2024)
- "Shibuya-Kei Fans Rejoice: Cornelius And Kenji Ozawa". Fujirockers English. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- 小沢健二のアルバム売上TOP12作品 (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
- "Tokyo, Music & Us 2017-2018 on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
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