Kazufumi Miyazawa
Born in 1966 in Kofu, about 100 km west of Tokyo, Japan. Made debut as the vocalist of the band, THE BOOM in 1989. The band has released 11 albums including the latest, titled “HYAKKEI” in 2004. In 1993, his composition and single “SHIMA UTA (ISLAND SONG)” became a massive hit, selling 1.5 million copies. This beautiful Okinawan melody was covered by numerous artists including some in other countries. Particularly “SHIMA UTA (Cancion de la Isla)” covered by an Argentinian multi-talented artist Alfredo Casero became a massive hit in Argentina and one of the support songs of the Argentinian team at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, even though it was sung in Japanese. Casero and Miyazawa sang this song together in front of huge audiences in Buenos Aires, Tokyo and Okinawa. “SHIMA UTA (ISLAND SONG)” is one of the standard songs that many people from different generations can sing in Japan now.
While active with his band THE BOOM, he released 2 solo albums in succession in 1998. The first solo album “Sixteenth Moon” was produced by Hugh Padgham, known as the producer of The Police and Sting, and was recorded in London. The second one “AFROSICK” was recorded with the new generation of musicians in Brazil after which he undertook his second successful concert tour of Brazil. He recorded the 3rd album “MIYAZAWA” in Brazil, Argentina, New York, Tokyo and Okinawa in the spring of 2001. He also performed at a festival in Pamplona, Spain in July 2002.
In January 2003, he released a best of solo album titled “MIYAZAWA-SICK” which included 14 songs; 13 from the 3 already released solo albums and a newly recorded “SHIMA UTA (Cancion de la Isla)” sung in Spanish. At the same time he also released a DVD, also titled “MIYAZAWA-SICK” including live performances and video clips.
Aside to music, he has been active in other fields as well, for example, writing essays regularly and acting in films and TV dramas. He is also highly regarded as a poet and 10 books that include his essays have been published. He has also been holding poetry readings several times a year.
In summer 2003, toured in Europe with his own project MIYAZAWA-SICK, between Japan tours of THE BOOM. He also wrote the theme song of an event that celebrating the ASEAN Japan Exchange Year “J-ASEAN POPs”. The English lyric version titled “Treasure the World” was written by Dick Lee, a good friend of Miyazawa in Singapore. THE BOOM performed for “J-ASEAN POPs” in Jakarta (Indonesia) and Yokohama (Japan).
In January 2004, he released his fourth solo album “SPIRITEK”. This album is of songs originally written by Miyazawa for other artists. In February embarked on the SPIRITEK TOUR, performing in Tokyo and Osaka.
In March in Brazil, “SHIMA UTA” and “Nukegara” were featured in a drama titled “Metamorphoses” broadcasted on Record TV, and the Original Soundtrack album titled “Metamorphoses” which includes those 2 songs was released in April. In August, toured in South America with the Miyazawa-Sick Band. Alfred Casero, the popular actor/comedian/musician who made a great hit singing “SHIMA UTA” 2 years ago, was as a guest for the 2 performances in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Popular Brazilian musicians Zeca Baleiro, Jair Oliveira and Diego Figueiredo were guests the Sao Paulo concert, the third time Miyazawa had performed in Brazil. A best of solo album “MIYAZAWA-SICK” was released both in Argentina and Brazil. In September, he performed as a vocalist for the Fernando Moura Band at a music festival called “Tudo E Jazz – Festival Internacional de Jazz de Ouro Preto” held in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
In October, performed at “Dream Power / John Lennon Super Live 2004” held at Nippon Budokan. And an independent label ‘Far Side Music’ in UK is releasing a compilation of his best works titled “Tokyo Story”.
Official Website: http://www.five-d.co.jp/miyazawa/en/
Kazufumi Miyazawa