T-Square (band)
Encyclopedia
T-Square is a Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese jazz fusion
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...

 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 guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...

 Masahiro Andoh
Masahiro Andoh
is a Japanese composer, guitarist and T-Square's leader from Aichi, Japan. He was also One-Third of "Ottottrio", a Superband led by 3 Japanese Guitarists, Himself, Hirokuni Korekata of KORENOS and Issei Noro of Casiopea....

, bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...

 Mitsuru Sutoh, saxophonist, flutist and EWI
EWI
EWI is the name of AKAI's wind controller, an electronic musical instrument invented by Nyle Steiner. The early models consisted of two parts: a wind controller and a synthesizer. The current model, EWI4000S, combines the two parts into one, placing the synthesizer in the lower section of the...

 player Takeshi Itoh
Takeshi Itoh
, nicknamed "T.K." by fans, , is a Japanese Saxophonist, EWIst, Lyriconist, Keyboardist and flutist and currently serves as saxophonist of the band, T-Square....

, keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...

 Hirotaka Izumi, and drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...

 Hiroyuki Noritake. They are known for songs such as "Truth", "Japanese Soul Brothers", "Takarajima", and "Omens of Love" among others. "Truth" was used as the theme for Japan's Formula One (F1) racing events from 1989 to 2000. Its successor, "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.

College Beginnings (1976 - 1978)

In 1976, T-Square began with a very basic Jazz Band line-up. Bassist Yuhji Nakamura, Guitarist Masahiro Andoh, Pianist Jun Hakama and Drummer Harada Toshikazu. Hakama and Toshikazu were replaced by Miyagi Junko on keyboards and Michael S. Kawai on drums, and a young, debuting Takeshi Itoh just joining in on Saxophone and Flutes, in 1977.

The Square (1978 - Mid-1988)

With backing Guitarist Yuhji Mikuriya, Keyboardist Shiro Sagisu
Shiro Sagisu
is a well-known Japanese music producer and composer. With a career spanning over 25 years , he is best known for his work as a record producer for acts including Misia, Satoshi Tomiie, and Ken Hirai...

and percussionist Kiyohiko Senba joining in 1978, The band was then named "The Square" since 1978, with a semi-generic, Disco-type sound. Lead Saxophonist Takeshi Itoh adopted the Lyricon
Lyricon
The Lyricon is an electronic wind instrument, the first wind controller to be constructed.Invented by Bill Bernardi , it was manufactured by a company called Computone Inc in Massachusetts...

 as a Side Instrument, and The Square would begin the tradition of writing 1 to 3 songs with the Lyricon in every new album hereafter. As the early years of the band progressed, the number of members had dwindled from 8 members (2 Keyboardists, 2 Guitarists, A drummer, a Percussionist, Sax player and Bassist) to 5 (Drummer, Keyboardist, Guitarist, Sax player, Bassist). The group's sound was changed to Rock music when Bassist Yuhji Nakamura, Pianist Miyagi Junko and Drummer Michael S. Kawai were replaced by Drummer Jun Aoyama and Bassist Toyoyuki Tanaka and Prism Keyboardist Daisaku Kume, who 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 came into the band, as their First Long-Term Keyboardist/Pianist. Then drummer Tohru Hasebe replaced Eiji Shimizu from then to 1985. Drummer Hiroyuki Noritake replaced him in 1986 as their first Long-Term Drummer, and then Bassist Toyoyuki Tanaka was replaced by Mitsuru Sutoh, who was their first Long-Term Bassist, since 1987. Takeshi Itoh would go on to exchange his Lyricon for an AKAI EWI, before the band made their first Release for 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.S, called "The Square", thus, the name change was made, and the "T-Square" era had begun.

T-Square (Mid-1988 - 2000)

The band's performance at the Roxy marked their first live album as T-Square. 2 years later, Masato Honda debuted with them, as a Backing Saxophonist on the album, T-Square Live (featuring F1 Grand Prix Theme). The F1 theme being "Truth" from 1987. In 1991, T-Square's original Saxophonist, Takeshi Itoh, was replaced by former T-Square Backing/Support member, Masato Honda, who composed the opening track from T-Square's "New-S" Album (released in 1991), "Megalith". Honda carried Takeshi's Sax/EWI
EWI
EWI is the name of AKAI's wind controller, an electronic musical instrument invented by Nyle Steiner. The early models consisted of two parts: a wind controller and a synthesizer. The current model, EWI4000S, combines the two parts into one, placing the synthesizer in the lower section of the...

 duties until 1998, when he left the group to pursue his solo career, after the release of "Blue in Red". Takahiro Miyazaki would replace him on Saxophone/EWI duties. At the same time, Hirotaka Izumi left T-Square, and was replaced by Tadashi Namba, who played Keyboards with Masahiro Andoh on the theme song from Gran Turismo
Gran Turismo (video game)
is a racing simulator designed by Kazunori Yamauchi. Gran Turismo was developed by Polyphony Digital and first published by Sony Computer Entertainment in 1997 for the PlayStation video game console...

, "Moon over the Castle" (from Masahiro's solo Album "Andy's", released 1996), as well as the T-Square arrangement of the song, called "Knight's Song" (from "Blue in Red", released in 1997). The group and all former and (at the time) current members played at Yaon de Asobu for their 20th Anniversary that same year. This is one of the last T-Square performances in which Masato Honda was involved (unlike Miyazaki and Itoh, Masato Honda didn't show up to the next 2 anniversary concerts in 2003 and 2008, respectively). In 1999, Tadashi Namba was replaced by Keyboardist Keiji Matsumoto. The new line-up of Miyazaki, Noritake, Sutoh, Matsumoto and Andoh was kept until mid-2000.

T-Square Plus and Session Members (2000 - 2002)

In the middle of the year 2000, the band was divided into T-Square (Original and long-term Guitarist Masahiro Andoh, Original, (at the time) Former, and returning Saxophonist, Takeshi Itoh, and Random Session Musicians) and "Trio The Square" (Bassist Mitsuru Sutoh, Drummer Hiroyuki Noritake and Keyboardist Keiji Matumoto). This trio is the main reason for why T-Square had to use Random Session Musicians to record with. Though, the performance of "Friendship Live" had T-Square's Long-Term drummer, Hiroyuki Noritake along with (at the time) Support Musician, and Current full-time Keyboardist, Keizoh Kawano, as well as Support Bassist Kiyoshi Murakami. T-Square changed its name again, to T-Square Plus, and Former T-Square Guitarist Yuhji Mikuriya, as well as former Seikima-II
SEIKIMA-II
is a Japanese heavy metal band formed by guitarist Damian Hamada in 1982.According to the mythology created by the band, Seikima-II is a group of "Akuma" , from the futuristic hyper-evolved dimension "Makai", that are preaching a religion, in order to propagate Satan through the use of heavy metal...

 Bassist Shunsuke "Xenon" Ishikawa and session keyboardist Takehiro Kawabe, joined them briefly for 2002. T-Square Plus, as this incarnation of the group was called, dropped the "Plus" from their name, but kept using Session Musicians until 2003.

The Square/T Comes Back (2003)

In 2003, they released an album called "Spirits", under their original name, "The Square". and retained some of their original members (partly due to T-Square having its 25th Anniversary on that year), and kept their Newcomer, Keizoh Kawano. The line-up was Itoh, Noritake, Sutoh, Kawano (support), Izumi and Andoh. They released another album that featured arrangements of some of their best known songs, called "T Comes Back".

New Band Members (2004-2008)

Since then, the Group changed their name again to T-Square. In addition to Mitsuru Sutoh being replaced by Katsuji Morioka on Bass in 2004, Morioka was replaced by Shingo Tanaka a year later. Both Morioka and Tanaka are Support Bassists. From 2000 to 2004, Keizoh Kawano was a support member on Keyboards; he replaced Hirotaka Izumi in 2005, and drummer Satoshi Bandoh, who also composed several songs, replaced Hiroyuki Noritake in the same year. And T-Square's original Drummer, Michael S. Kawai, had returned to T-Square as a Percussionist and Producer from 2004 until 2008.

T-Square Super Band/Super Special Band (2008-Early 2009)

The band changed their name to "T-Square Super Band", to promote their 30th Anniversary Tour, and the fact that most former T-Square Members were involved in recording their new album called "Wonderful Days". Adding even more former members (Except for Shingo Tanaka, because he is a Support Member, and thus, not regarded as an Official T-Square Musician, hence why he wasn't in the "Super Band" to begin with). This began in Mid-to-Late-2008 after the end of their "Wonderful Days" Tour), the group changed its name to T-Square Super Special Band and played on Yaon de Asobu for their 30th Anniversary Show. This video was released on February 2009 as "The Square~T-Square since 1978: 30th Anniversary Festival".

Post-Super Band (2009-Current)

With the release of their 2009 Album, "Discoveries" only 3 months after the release of the aforementioned DVD, the group dropped "Super Special Band" from their name and cut the Members down to keyboardist Keizoh Kawano, drummer Satoshi Bandoh, Returning Support Bassist Shingo Tanaka, and the 2 original T-Square members, Masahiro Andoh and Takeshi Itoh. Discoveries was sold with a DVD which chronicled T-Square performing and rehearsing in 2008. In 2010, An almost-exact year after "Discoveries", they released a brand new album, "Jikan Ryoko"-- which is the Japanese phrase for "Time Travel". In the Summer of that same year, they decided to re-record some of their Older songs and release them in October as an album called "Takara no Uta: T-Square plays The Square". They would go on to release another original album, "Nine Stories" on April 2011. Some T-Square band members would tour with Satoshi Bandoh to promote his 2011 album, "Happy Life!", and recorded another "T-Square plays The Square" album, set to be released this coming October.

Offshoot bands

The following list includes bands that include multiple (former or current) members of T-Square.

AnMi2

AnMi2 are a guitar duo comprising the first two guitarists of T-Square,Masahiro Andoh and Yuhji Mikuriya.

Trio The Square/The Masato Honda Band/Voice of Elements

This group began as a result of Creative Differences between the Members of the T-Square Line-up of 1999-Early 2000, but the Trio began in Mid-1999, with Keyboardist Keiji Matsumoto, Drummer Hiroyuki Noritake and Bassist Mitsuru Sutoh as Trio The Square. Trio The Square originally disbanded in 2000.

Later on that year, Hiroyuki Noritake and Keiji Matsumoto, along with Bassist Tomohito Aoki, Guitarist Jun Kajiwara, would become the Backing Band of Former T-Square Saxophonist, Masato Honda. The group didn't have an official name, but, was collectively dubbed by fans as "The Masato Honda Band".

The Masato Honda Band was put on hold in 2005, then fully deactivated in Early Mid-2006, to make way for Voice of Elements, which featured, again, Hiroyuki Noritake and Keiji Matsumoto. Tomohito Aoki, the original bassist of the Masato Honda Band, died of acute heart failure, therefore, he was replaced by Mitsuru Sutoh. Voice of Elements still kept going.

Ottottrio

This group was a Fusion Supergroup, led by 3 guitarists, T-Square's Masahiro Andoh, Casiopea's Issei Noro and KORENOS' Hirokuni Korekata. Along with Masahiro Andoh, Drummer Hiroyuki Noritake was part of this group since 1988. Also, T-Square Bassist, Mitsuru Sutoh and (at the time) Future T-Square keyboardist, Keiji Matsumoto recorded with them at the end of 1998 (joining T-Square only a few months later).

KoreNoS

This band was formed in 2004, by Hirokuni Korekata, Hiroyuki Noritake and Mitsuru Sutoh. They released 2 studio albums, "Asian Street Style" (2004) and "Abracadabra" (2005). They also released a Live Album in 2007.

Casiopea vs. The Square

Although "Casiopea vs. The Square" was performed as a One-Off event in 2003, This extension of 2 different Jazz-Fusion bands goes back to 1993. Former Percussionist of The Square, Kiyohiko Senba, played on one of the songs from Casiopea's 1993 album, "Dramatic". A year later, Both Groups played an arrangement of The Beatles' "Get Back" on a Japanese Broadcast. 3 years after that, Casiopea, T-Square and Jimsaku played at Tokyo Jam 1997, with the same song. In 2003, Both Groups played (with some of the players replaced), at the event called Casiopea vs. The Square. Both Groups still have somewhat of an alliance, seeing as Casiopea's 1993 - 1997 drummer, Noriaki Kumagai and Former T-Square Bassist, Mitsuru Sutoh are both in TRIX. And Sax player Takeshi Itoh performed with Casiopea's Keyboardist, Minoru Mukaiya in 2006.

Synchronized DNA

Drummers Hiroyuki Noritake of T-Square and Akira Jimbo of Casiopea made a Drum Duo in 2003, after the "Casiopea vs. The Square" concert.

Pyramid

Pianist Hirotaka Izumi, ex-Casiopea drummer Akira Jimbo and Guitarist Yuji Toriyama, along with other Studio Musicians, form the band "Pyramid". They have released 3 Studio albums.

As Support Members for Other Fusion Artists

Drummer Hiroyuki Noritake and Keyboardist Keizoh Kawano would record as Support Members for J-Fusion/Rock guitarist Kumi Adachi in 2007-2008.

Discography

  • Lucky Summer Lady (1978, First album as The Square)
  • Midnight Lover (1978)
  • Make Me A Star (1979)
  • Rockoon (1980)
  • Magic (1981)
  • Jungle Strut (Cassette Single included with the Sony Walkman, 1982)*
  • Temptation of Shapely Legs (Original Title: 脚線美の誘惑/Kyakusenbi no Yuhwaku, 1982)*
  • The Water of the Rainbow (Original Title: うち水にRainbow/Uchu Mizu ni Rainbow, 1983)*
    • This album includes a track called "Hank and Cliff", which features Ichiro Nitta's Spectrum Horn Section, which would go on to play on the Japanese leg of Casiopea
      Casiopea
      , named as a misspelling of the constellation Cassiopeia, was a Japanese jazz fusion band that was formed in 1976 by guitarist Issei Noro, bassist Tetsuo Sakurai and keyboardist Hidehiko Koike. In 1977, keyboardist Minoru Mukaiya and drummer Takashi Sasaki joined the group, leaving Hidehiko out of...

      's World Tour, which took place 5 years later
      Casiopea World Live '88
      Casiopea World Live '88 is the fourth live album released by the jazz fusion group Casiopea in 1988. It is a Compilation Album consistent of Recordings of some of their Songs played live and in Concert during Casiopea's World Tour in 1988 that promoted their Previous Album "Euphony". It is also a...

      .
  • Adventures (1984)
  • Adventures Live (1984)
    • The Square's first Live Release.
  • Stars and the Moon (1984)
  • R.E.S.O.R.T (1985)
    • Includes "Omens of Love", which would later be lyricized and covered as "Wink Killer" by Kyōko Koizumi
      Kyoko Koizumi
      ' is a Japanese singer and actress. Her music is released through Victor Entertainment . She is also known by the nickname Kyon Kyon. She had singles reach the Top ten for 12 consecutive years between 1983 and 1994, a female solo artist record, until this was broken by Namie Amuro...

      .
  • S.P.O.R.T.S (1986)
    • Hiroyuki Noritake replaced Tohru Hasebe on Drums.
  • Truth (1987)
    • Mitsuru Sutoh replaced Toyoyuki Tanaka on Bass.
    • This album features one of T-Square's best-known songs, and their most remixed song, which the album itself is named after, "Truth".
  • Yes, No (1988)
  • Wave (1989, First Album as T-Square)
  • Natural (1990)
  • T-Square Live (featuring F1 theme)
    • This is Masato Honda's first recording with T-Square. However, he played in the Background, with a Brass Section.
  • New-S (1991)
    • Takeshi Itoh is replaced by Masato Honda.
  • Refreshest (1991, first album as T-Square and Friends)
  • Impressive (1992, as T-Square)
  • Human (1993)
  • Summer Planet (Original Title: 夏の惑星/Natsu no Wakusei, 1994)*
  • SOLITUDE -Dedicated to Senna
    Ayrton Senna
    Ayrton Senna da Silva was a Brazilian racing driver. A three-time Formula One world champion, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time...

    - (1994, as T-Square and Friends)
  • Welcome to the Rose Garden (1995, as T-Square)
    • Includes a track named "Prime Time", which is an arrangement of "Prime" from "R.E.S.O.R.T."
  • Miss you in New York (1995, as T-Square and Friends)
  • T-Square and Friends Live in Tokyo (1995, as T-Square and Friends, VHS Release)
    • This is the first Live Release from T-Square and Friends.
  • B.C. A.D. (1996)
  • Blue in Red (1997)
  • Gravity (1998)
    • Takahiro Miyazaki replaces Masato Honda.
    • The Limited Edition Version of this album includes "Japanese Soul Brothers", featuring both of T-Square's (at the time) Ex-Saxophonists (Masato Honda and Takeshi Itoh) and the (at the time) newcomer, Takahiro Miyazaki.
  • 20th Anniversary Performance at Yaon de Asobu (Live Broadcast, July 25, 1998)
    • This is the Only Live Concert to have featured all 3 Saxophonists.
  • Farewell and Welcome Live 1998 (VHS)
    • Although the Video was released on July 28, 1998 (only 3 Days after T-Square's 20th Anniversary Concert), This concert was held on January 1998, to commemorate Masato Honda and Hirotaka Izumi's Farewell, and the Welcome of Takahiro Miyazaki and Tadashi Namba.
    • Also, more songs were performed at the Actual F&W '98, compared to the VHS release.
  • Sweet and Gentle (1999)
    • Tadashi Namba was replaced on keyboards by Keiji Matsumoto.
  • T-Square (2000)
    • Due to creative differences, Takahiro Miyazaki, Mitsuru Sutoh, Keiji Matsumoto and Hiroyuki Noritake left the group after the release of this album.
  • Friendship (2000)
    • Takeshi Itoh, the group's original Saxophonist, returned to the group, however, the parts of Sutoh, Matsumoto and Noritake would be played by Session Musicians.
  • Friendship Live (2001)
    • This was Keizoh Kawano's Debut recording with T-Square as a Support Keyboardist. From here on, Kawano would perform with the group Live, but didn't record with them in Studio until 2002.
  • Truth 21c (2001)
    • This album contains arrangements of T-Square's best known songs, including, as the album name should imply, "Truth" (1987).
  • Brazil (2001)
  • New Road, Old Way (2002)
  • Vocal2 (or Vocal Square, released 2002)
    • Keizoh Kawano's First Studio Album with T-Square.
  • Spirits (2003)
    • This album marked the official return of Mitsuru Sutoh, Hiroyuki Noritake and Hirotaka Izumi.
  • T Comes Back (2003)
    • This album includes arrangements of well known tunes, Such as "Omens of Love '03".
  • Groove Globe (2004)
    • This album includes songs written by Keizoh Kawano, who finally became a Full-Fledged member of T-Square.
  • Passion Flower (2005)
    • This album marked the Debut of Satoshi Bandoh on Drums and Shingo Tanaka on Bass.
  • Blood Music (2006)
  • 33 (2007)
    • The name of the album implies that this is their 33rd Album.
  • Wonderful Days (2008, as T-Square Super Band)
    • This album featured former members, Takahiro Miyazaki, Hiroyuki Noritake, Mitsuru Sutoh, Toyoyuki Tanaka, and Current Members, Satoshi Bandoh, Keizoh Kawano, Takeshi Itoh and Masahiro Andoh.
    • Shingo Tanaka wasn't involved in the Super Band recordings, or the Live Anniversaries, because he was a Support Member.
  • Concert Tour 2008 Final Wonderful Days (2008, DVD)
    • This is a Live Concert from the Super Band.
  • The Square ~ T-Square Since 1978 30th Anniversary (2009, DVD and Blu-Ray, as T-Square Super Special Band)
    • This Concert includes former members, such as Tohru Hasebe, Toyoyuki Tanaka, Yuhji Mikuriya, Yuhji Nakamura, Takahiro Miyazaki, Michael S. Kawai, Mitsuru Sutoh, Kiyohiko Semba, Hirotaka Izumi, Hiroyuki Noritake and Junko Miyagi, and the 4 Official Members.
  • Discoveries (2009, as T-Square)
  • Time Travel (Original Title, 時間旅行/Jikan Ryoko, 2010)*
    • This album is made to give more exposure to the Songwriting work of the newer musicians of the group; Drummer Satoshi Bandoh and Keyboardist Keizoh Kawano.
  • Treasured Songs – T-Square plays The Square (Original Title, たからのうた/Takara no Uta – T-Square plays The Square, 2010)*
    • This Album became its own separate Series of Re-recordings of Vintage tracks from the era when T-Square was known as The Square (1978 to 1988).
  • Nine Stories (2011)
    • This album contains 9 tracks, 2 tracks written by each Current Official Member of T-Square, with 3 tracks written by drummer Satoshi Bandoh.)
  • Music Dream - T-Square plays The Square (Original Title, 夢曲 (ゆめのうた)/Yume Kyoku (Yume no Uta) – T-Square plays The Square, To be Released October 26, 2011)*
    • This is the Second album in a series of albums in which T-Square would cover their songs which were originally released with the band known as The Square.

(* - Denotes T-Square albums sold under their native Japanese Names, rather than with the album sold in English, as T-Square usually does.)

External links

T-Square Information Fan's Page
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