T-Square (band)
| T-Square | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | "The Square" (1978 - 1988, 2003) "T-Square" (1988 - 2000, 2002, 2004-2007, 2009-2012, 2014-Current) "T-Square and Friends" (1991, 1995, 2002, with people who previously were never official T-Square members) "T-Square Plus" (2001 - 2002, 2013) "T-Square Super Band" (2008, 2013) "T-Square Super Special Band" (Mid-to-Late 2008 - Early 2009, October 2013) |
| Origin | 1978 |
| Genres |
Jazz fusion jazz instrumental pop smooth jazz Contemporary Jazz Pop Rock |
| Years active | 1978 - Present |
| Labels |
Sony Music Japan (Japan) Columbia Records (U.S.) |
| Associated acts | Masato Honda, Hirotaka Izumi, Hiroyuki Noritake, Mitsuru Sutoh, Casiopea |
| Website | http://www.tsquare.jp/ |
| Members |
Masahiro Andoh (Guitar) Takeshi Itoh (Sax, EWI) Keizoh Kawano (Keyboard) Satoshi Bandoh(Drums) Shingo Tanaka (Bass) |
| Past members |
Shiro Sagisu Miyagi Junko Yuhji Nakamura Yuhji Mikuriya Michael S. Kawai Kiyohiko Semba Jun Aoyama Eiji Shimizu Daisaku Kume Toyoyuki Tanaka Tohru Hasebe Hiroyuki Noritake Hirotaka Izumi Masato Honda Keiji Matsumoto Tadashi Namba Shingo Tanaka Takahiro Miyazaki |
T-Square is a Japanese jazz fusion band that was formed in 1978. They became famous in the late 70s and early 80s along with other Japanese fusion bands. Its most successful lineup included its members from 1986 to 1990: guitarist Masahiro Andoh, bassist Mitsuru Sutoh, saxophonist/flutist/EWI player Takeshi Itoh, keyboardist Hirotaka Izumi, and drummer Hiroyuki Noritake. They are known for songs such as "Truth", "Japanese Soul Brothers", "Takarajima", and "Omens of Love" among others. "Truth" has been used as the theme for Fuji Television's Formula One (F1) coverage from 1989 to 2000 and since 2012. An arrangement of said tune, "Truth 21c" was used as the theme for Japan's F1 2001 and 2002, respectively, and other remixes of "Truth" were used from 2003 to 2006.
In 1976, The Square started as a small Jazz Rock band in Meiji University with a very basic Jazz line-up. The very first line-up was made of bassist Yuhji Nakamura, guitarist Masahiro Andoh, pianist Jun Hakama and drummer Shunichi Harada. According to Masahiro Andoh, the band's name was based on Madison Square Garden. Hakama and Harada were replaced by Junko Miyagi on keyboards and Michael S. Kawai on drums, and a young, debuting Takeshi Itoh joining in on saxophone and flutes, in 1977.
With backing guitarist Yuhji Mikuriya, keyboardist Shiro Sagisu and percussionist Kiyohiko Senba joining in 1978, the band was then named "The Square". It had a semi-generic, disco-type sound. Lead saxophonist Takeshi Itoh adopted the Lyricon as a side instrument. The Square would then begin a tradition of writing one to three songs with the Lyricon in every new album thereafter. As the years progressed, the number of members had dwindled from eight members (two keyboardists, two guitarists, a drummer, a Percussionist, a sax player and a bassist) to five (a drummer, a keyboardist, a guitarist, a sax player and a bassist). The group's sound had also evolved to a more rock-oriented music when bassist Yuhji Nakamura, pianist Junko Miyagi and drummer Michael S. Kawai were replaced by drummer Jun Aoyama (better known as Tatsuro Yamashita's drummer from 1979 to 2003), bassist Toyoyuki Tanaka and Prism keyboardist Daisaku Kume. Kume only joined the band as a Support Member and left a year thereafter. Percussionist Kiyohiko Senba left the group altogether. Jun Aoyama was later replaced by Eiji Shimizu on drums in 1981. Pianist Hirotaka Izumi joined the band as the first long term keyboardist/pianist. In 1985, Tohru Hasebe replaced Eiji Shimizu drums. Hiroyuki Noritake would then replace Hasebe on drums in 1986 as their first long term drummer. In 1987, Mitsuru Sutoh joined the band and replaced Toyoyuki Tanaka on bass. Like Izumi and Noritake, Sutoh was the first long term bassist in the group. Takeshi Itoh would go on to swap his Lyricon for an AKAI EWI before the band made their first release in the United States. It is believed that their first performance in the U.S. was at the Cat Club in N.Y. Before they made their way to the Roxy in Los Angeles, they realized there was already a group from the U.K, called "The Squares". Thus, the band changed their name to "T-Square".
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