GONTITI

GONTITI is a Japanese acoustic guitar duo that's been making world music since the late 1970s. The group pairs guitarist Masahiko "Gonzalez" Mikami with Masahide "Titi" Matsumura—the latter's nickname a nod to the Charlie Parker classic. They got together in Osaka in 1978 and have basically defined the sound of sophisticated, international acoustic guitar ever since.

Gonzalez Mikami (born December 30, 1953, in Osaka) and Titi Matsumura (born September 6, 1954, also in Osaka) grew up in the same city and brought that regional sensibility to their music. What started as a local partnership became something much bigger—their ability to blend world music influences with intricate two-guitar arrangements made them stand out in an era when that kind of thing wasn't everywhere.