CHAR

About

Char has been voted Japan's greatest guitarist more than once, by professional musicians in a 2017 Guitar Magazine list and again in a 2019 public poll. He began as a session player while still in junior high, then went solo on Canyon Records in 1976 with the single "Navy Blue" and a self titled debut album. His 1988 record Psyche later landed at number 36 on Rolling Stone Japan's list of the greatest Japanese rock albums. He has never stuck to one lane. There was the supergroup Johnny, Louis & Char, the acoustic duo Baho, a touring unit with Carmine Appice and Tim Bogert, and his own labels, Edoya and later Zicca Records. His 1981 album U.S.J was co produced by Steve Lukather and featured Jeff Porcaro and David Foster. In 2010 he released six cover albums in one go, each honouring a hero: Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, The Beatles, The Ventures, Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix. More recent work includes Soliloquy in 2023.