Keiji Haino

Since the seventies, Keiji Haino has been present on all fronts of experimental music. He has distinguished himself as much in psychedelic and drone rock as in jazz and minimalist music, while leaving a prominent position to improvisation. Playing several instruments, he is, among other things, a singer, guitarist, and drummer. Interested in medieval and ethnic music, he also uses a large panel of folk instruments, among which is the hurdy-gurdy, or wheel fiddle.

His oral style is very expressive, borrowing both from free jazz techniques and piano-bar music. He’s been defined by some as being "the song of darkness". Haino's musical universe is however more instinctive and spontaneous than technical. His lyrics and scenic performances are full of a kind of mysticism, which has made him to be regarded as a "shaman" of sorts.

He's very active in Japan as well as abroad, where he's held in very high esteem.