Honzi (born 本地陽子, Honji Yōko; February 15, 1967 - September 27, 2007) was a Japanese multi-instrumentalist and frequent collaborator with Fishmans. She's known best for her violin expertise, her personal website calling her a "violinista", as well as playing keyboards.
Honzi began playing piano and violin from a young age. While she studied music at Osaka College of Music, she spent her college years traveling the world, having been influenced by regional styles outside of the Western canon. She began working as a session musician in 1990, joining Japanese Latin pop group A Decade-In Fake (then named Sonna Banana) and appearing first on their record Let's Spin (under the name Parabola Spins). She worked alongside the group until their dissolution in 1995, when she left to find new membership. Honzi first appears on Fishmans' works in 1995 with the release of Oh! Mountain, where she appears for one song, "Baby Piano Mix". She would appear for a great majority of the band's following material, starting with the group's next single, ナイトクルージング. She performed live with the group regularly, including Shinji Sato's final performance on December 28, 1998. Her last performance with the group was on July 30, 2006 @Naeba Ski Resort after having participated for the entirety of 2005's The Long Season Revue tour. One year later on September 27, 2007, Honzi would pass away from a form of cancer. Memorial events in her name are regularly (often yearly) held by members of her band Honzi's World and other musicians, one such was chronicled on live album I Love Honzi. These events are titled "Honzi Love Connection" or "Honziの世界へようこそ" (translating to "Welcome to the World of Honzi").
Gallery[]
Discography[]
Albums[]
EPs[]
- 未発表音源配信 (2008)
Solo Tapes[]
- Orange
- White
- Yellow