Akira Kajiyama
| Akira Kajiyama | |
|---|---|
| Origin |
 Yamaguchi, Japan |
| Genres | Heavy metal / Hard rock |
| Occupation(s) | Guitarist |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Associated acts | Goldbrick |
| Notable instruments | |
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.
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.
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.
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