大竹研

Ken Ohtake is a Japanese guitarist born in Chiba Prefecture. He began his musical journey at the age of 15, initially teaching himself through extensive listening to rock music. In 1996, he began formal studies under the renowned jazz guitarist Toshiki Nunokawa, and in 2000, he studied folk, classical guitar, and music theory with Kamekichi Tsumura, a period that significantly expanded his musical horizons. In 2002, Ohtake began a four-year collaboration with Okinawan sanshin master Takashi Hirayasu, which included a performance at the TFF Festival in Germany in 2005. That same year, he began his long-standing partnership with Taiwanese musician Lin Sheng-xiang, contributing to the album "Wildfire" and continuing to collaborate to this day. Ohtake is known for his ability to bridge diverse cultural landscapes through his guitar, integrating Okinawan melodies and Taiwanese Hakka music with rich imagination and technical mastery. He is a member of several prominent groups, including Tokyo Chuo Line, Sheng Xiang Band, and KINAKO & Tokyo Chuo Line.