About Kotaro Oshio

Kotaro Oshio (押尾 コータロー, born February 1, 1968, in Suita, Osaka) is a Japanese acoustic guitarist celebrated for his work on the steel-string guitar. His music spans various genres including pop, new age, and jazz. He is well-known for his innovative techniques such as tapping, fingerpicking, and his unique “nail attack” style, inspired by Michael Hedges, where he strikes the strings with his middle and ring fingernails.

Oshio began his career in 1999 with an independent album and gained wider recognition with his second self-produced LP, “Love Strings,” in 2001. In 2002, he signed with Toshiba EMI and released his third album, “Starting Point,” establishing his association with new age music. That same year, he performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival with B.B. King. Oshio is an active musician, performing as a solo guitarist, composing for films, TV shows, and commercials, and collaborating with other artists across various genres.

While his albums primarily feature original material, Oshio is also recognized for his distinctive covers and movie soundtracks, showcasing remarkable skill in interpretation and arrangement.

Selected Discography of Kotaro Oshio

Independent Albums:

• Kotaro Oshio (December 1999)
• Love Strings (March 22, 2001)

Major Label Albums (Sony Music Japan/SME Records):

• Starting Point (July 10, 2002)
• Dramatic (June 18, 2003)
• Be Happy (June 23, 2004)
• Bolero! Be Happy Live (December 15, 2004)
• Panorama (September 7, 2005)
• Blue sky〜Kotaro Oshio Best Album〜 (September 29, 2006)
• Color of Life (November 29, 2006)
• Nature Spirit (January 1, 2008)
• You & Me (October 1, 2008)
• Tussie Mussie (March 11, 2009)
• Eternal Chain (August 5, 2009)
• Hand to Hand (January 12, 2011)
• 10th Anniversary BEST (May 2, 2012)
• Reboot & Collabo. (April 24, 2013)
• Pandora (July 30, 2014)
• Tussie Mussie II -Love Cinema- (November 25, 2015)
• KTRxGTR (November 9, 2016)
• PICK POP! ~J-Hits Acoustic Covers~ (September 19, 2018)
• Encounter (February 20, 2019)
• Passenger (2020)
• 20th Anniversary “My Guitar, My Life” (2022)
• PICK POP II -meets the WORLD- (2025)

Original Compositions:

• “SPLASH”
• “Wind Song”
• “Twilight”
• “Fight!”
• “Cherry Blossom Time”
• “Red Shoes Dance”
• “Big Blue Ocean”
• “Nanairo” (Seven Colors)
• “Wings -you are the HERO-” (also known as “Tsubasa -You Are The Hero-“)
• “Misty Night”
• “Angel’s Sunday”
• “Aquamarine”
• “Busy Busy”
• “The Park On The Hill”
• “Changing Skies”
• “Promises”
• “Chaser”
• “Prologue”
• “Again…”
• “A White Cloud of That Summer” (あの夏の白い雲)
• “Nayuta”
• “Tension”
• “SPUR”
• “GOLD RUSH”

Notable Arrangements:

• “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence” (from the album “Starting Point”)
• “Canon” (Johann Pachelbel)
• “Bolero” (Maurice Ravel) – Note: While sometimes credited with arrangement, this is primarily an arrangement of Ravel’s famous piece.
• “Jupiter” (Gustav Holst)
• “Look Up At The Evening Stars” (Taku Izumi)
• “Lovin’ You”
• “Oasis”

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