Akira Kajiyama (梶山 章, Kajiyama Akira, born in Yamaguchi, Japan) is a Japanese guitarist who is known for his work with Joe Lynn Turner.

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) This biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. (July 2020) This article possibly contains original research. (July 2020) This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (July 2020)

Akira Kajiyama
Origin	Yamaguchi, Japan
Genres	Heavy metal / Hard rock
Occupation(s)	Guitarist
Instruments	Guitar

Biography

Kajiyama's first commercial band was Precious which was formed by Mandrake Root Records in 1987 to promote him. The band dissolved after its only full-length album in 1991. Kajiyama became regarded as a guitar legend in the Japanese hard rock/heavy metal scene. In 1998, Kajiyama and former Anthem vocalist Yukio Morikawa released a tribute album celebrating Rainbow in the name of Niji Densetsu (虹伝説). As a result, he became acquainted with Joe Lynn Turner who guested on the album. After that, Turner invited him to appear on his album "Under Cover, Vol. 2". Since then Kajiyama occasionally took part in Turner's albums and Japan tours. Kajiyama and Morikawa formed Goldbrick in 2003.

Style

Kajiyama is influenced by artists such as Ritchie Blackmore, Yngwie Malmsteen, Al Di Meola, Laurie Wisefield. He is extremely precise at shredding with alternate picking, which was his style from Precious. However, Kajiyama denies he was ever a shredder. He says that the shredding style was requested by his record label, as Shrapnel Records also did at that time.

Discography

Precious

• Crazy For Your Love (EP, 1987)
• Blasting Your Head (EP, 1988)
• To Glory We Steer (1991)
• Early Days (demo tracks, 1996)
• Secret Live (rehearsal tracks, 1999)

Niji Densetsu (虹伝説)

• Niji Densetsu (1998, re-mastered in 2003)

With Joe Lynn Turner

• Under Cover 2 (1999)
• Holy Man (2000)
• Slam (2001)
• The Usual Suspects (2005)
• Akira Kajiyama + Joe Lynn Turner - Fire Without Flame (2005)

With Hughes Turner Project

• HTP (2002)
• Live in Tokyo (2002)

Goldbrick

• Goldbrick (2003)
• Live! Groovy Nights 2003 (2003)
• Goldbrick II (2004)
• Max Body Groove -Goldbrick Live 2005- (2005)

With Takenori Shimoyama

• Singer (2006)

External links

• Official Akira Kajiyama Website