, better known by his stage name is a Japanese pianist, vocalist and songwriter, best known for his work in the

Ringo Sheena , known by her stage name , is a Japanese singer, songwriter and musician. She is also the founder and lead vocalist of the band Tokyo Jihen. She describes herself as "". She was ranked number 36 in a list of Japan's top 100 musicians compiled ...

-helmed band

Tokyo Jihen , also known as Tokyo Incidents, is a Japanese rock band formed by Ringo Sheena, after leaving her solo career. The band's debut single "Gunjō Biyori" was released in September 2004, and they ended activities in February 2012. The band sold 2.3 ...

. He is also the lead vocalist and pianist of the band Appa.

Biography

Izawa was born in 1976 in

Kurashiki is a city located in Okayama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 478,651 and a population density of 1300 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Kurashiki is located in the south-central part of Okay ...

City,

Okayama is the prefectural capital, capital Cities of Japan, city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan. The Okayama metropolitan area, centered around the city, has the largest urban employment zone in the Chugoku region of western J ...

Prefecture. His father Masanobu Izawa is the president of '' Kurabun Corporation''. Izawa began studying piano at the age of four, and by the age of 14 had also learned to play the guitar and was active in several bands in which he also served as the vocalist. After graduating from Kurashiki's Seiryo Senior High School, he entered the composers' program at the

Kunitachi College of Music The is a private university, private music conservatory in Tachikawa, Tokyo, Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan. Founded in 1926 as the Tokyo Conservatory of Music, Kunitachi now offers study programs in performance, music education, composition, comput ...

; however, he left the college two years later before graduation because he felt he would not be able to study and compose music seriously at the same time. He formed a band with Kunitachi classmate

H Zett M , also known by the name H Zett M (stylised as H ZETT M) is a Japanese keyboardist and producer. He became a member of jazz instrumental band Pe'z in 1999, and was a member of Ringo Sheena's band Tokyo Jihen between 2004 and 2005. In 2007, Hiizu ...

soon after, although they dissolved three months later. He formed the band Appa in 2004 along with bassist Hideaki Hotta and drummer Kazuto Sato. Izawa serves as the band's leader, pianist and vocalist in addition to writing and arranging most of their songs. After two small-run independent EP releases, Appa released their full-length debut album, ''Rashipoki'', on November 5, 2008. In mid-2005, Izawa was introduced to Sheena Ringo by H Zett M, then the keyboardist of Sheena's band

, as a potential replacement keyboardist (HZM planned to depart the group to concentrate more fully on his own band Pe'z). After a period of hesitation, he was eventually convinced by the encouragement of both Sheena and bassist

Seiji Kameda is a Japanese music producer, arranger and bass guitarist. He has worked extensively with Ringo Shiina, serving as her producer and touring bassist for many years, including his tenure with their band Tokyo Jihen. Biography He was born in ...

, who is said to have told him "Hurry up and join so we can play together", and Izawa debuted later the same year as a member of Tokyo Jihen's Phase 2 lineup alongside new guitarist

Ryosuke Nagaoka , is a Japanese musician, and singer and guitar player for the band Petrolz. Under the stage name , he was the second guitarist for Ringo Sheena's band Tokyo Jihen from 2005 until 2012. In 2013, Nagoka joined the band Gokumontō Ikka, a project ...

, nicknamed Ukigumo. He arranged the majority of the songs on their second album ''

Adult An adult is an animal that has reached full growth. The biological definition of the word means an animal reaching sexual maturity and thus capable of reproduction. In the human context, the term ''adult'' has meanings associated with social an ...

'' and would go on to compose more songs for the group than any other member besides Sheena. In 2009, during a period of inactivity for the band during Sheena's temporary return to her solo work with the release of her fourth album ''Sanmon Gossip'', Izawa joined former

Ellegarden Ellegarden (stylized as ELLEGARDEN and abbreviated ) is a Japanese rock band formed in December 1998 in Chiba Prefecture. Its lineup consists of vocalist/guitarist Takeshi Hosomi, guitarist Shinichi Ubukata, bassist Yuichi Takada, and drummer H ...

member Takeshi Hosomi's new band

The Hiatus The Hiatus is a Japanese rock supergroup formed by Takeshi Hosomi, lead vocalist of Ellegarden. Members * – vocals, guitar ( Ellegarden, MONOEYES) * Masasucks – guitar (Fullscratch) * – bass (Radio Caroline, ex- Thee Michelle Gun Eleph ...

as a touring member. Izawa remained a member of Tokyo Jihen until the band's farewell tour and breakup in February 2012. He has since resumed full-time membership in Appa, beginning with a performance at March 11 Nakaso Music Festival. Appa released their second full-length album, ''Mantra'', on August 29, 2012.

References

External links

* (official solo web site) * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Izawa, Ichiyo 1976 births Japanese male pianists Kunitachi College of Music alumni Living people Singers from Kurashiki Tokyo Jihen members