You know that feeling when you hear a song and suddenly you’re in the cockpit of a Formula One car, even if you’re just sitting in traffic? That’s the "Truth" effect. For decades, T-Square Super Band has been the heartbeat of Japanese jazz fusion, a genre that honestly shouldn't work as well as it does but somehow manages to be both incredibly technical and ridiculously catchy.
They aren't just a band. They’re a revolving door of some of the best musicians to ever pick up an instrument. If you’ve ever fallen down a YouTube rabbit hole of 80s Japanese fusion, you've seen them. The EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument) glowing under stage lights, the slap bass that defies physics, and those melodies that feel like a summer day in Tokyo.
The Mystery of the Super Band Name
People often get confused. Is it T-Square? The Square? T-Square Plus? Or the T-Square Super Band? Basically, it’s all the same family tree, but the "Super Band" moniker is usually reserved for those massive, milestone moments.
Specifically, they leaned into the T-Square Super Band title for the 30th and 35th-anniversary celebrations. Think of it as an "Avengers" assemble moment for jazz. They brought back the OGs like Masahiro Andoh and Takeshi Itoh and mashed them together with the "new" blood like drummer Satoshi Bandoh.
It’s about legacy. In 2008, they released Wonderful Days under the Super Band name. Then came Smile in 2013. These weren't just albums; they were statements. They proved that even after three decades, they weren't just a nostalgia act. They were still writing complex, high-energy fusion that made younger bands look like they were standing still.
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Why "Truth" Changed Everything
If you grew up in Japan in the late 80s or 90s, "Truth" was the soundtrack to your life. Specifically, it was the theme for F1 racing on Fuji TV. It’s arguably the most famous instrumental track in the country.
The song has everything. It has that iconic EWI lead by Takeshi Itoh that sounds like a digitized saxophone from the future. It has Masahiro Andoh’s driving guitar riffs. It’s fast. It’s aggressive. It’s perfect for a sport where people drive at 200 mph.
But here’s the thing most people miss: T-Square wasn't just "the F1 band." They were pioneers of a very specific sound called "City Pop Fusion." It was cleaner than the gritty jazz coming out of New York, but it had more "soul" than the elevator music people often mistake for fusion.
The Lineup Shuffle
Honestly, keeping track of the members is a full-time job. Over 40 years, the roster has changed dozens of times.
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- Masahiro Andoh: The founder. The guitarist. The guy who basically wrote the blueprint for the band's sound. He finally retired from the group in 2021, which felt like the end of an era.
- Takeshi Itoh: The man with the EWI. He left for a while in the 90s to do solo work in LA (where he recorded some great, smooth jazz stuff), but he eventually came back to the mother ship.
- Hirotaka Izumi: The keyboardist responsible for some of their most beautiful melodies, like "Omens of Love" and "Takarajima." Sadly, he passed away in 2021, right before the band’s big transition.
- Hiroyuki Noritake and Mitsuru Sutoh: The rhythm section from the "golden era." If you want to see what peak synchronization looks like, watch any live clip of them from the early 90s.
What Really Makes It a Super Band?
It’s the collaboration. When they toured as the T-Square Super Band, they didn't just play the hits. They rearranged them. They’d have two drummers on stage, three keyboardists, and enough brass to power a small city.
The 35th Anniversary Festival in 2013 is probably the best example of this. They played everything from "Japanese Soul Brothers" to "Texas Kid." It wasn't just a concert; it was a masterclass in ensemble playing. You’d have Satoshi Bandoh (the young drum prodigy) trading solos with Hiroyuki Noritake (the veteran). It was a passing of the torch that happened right in front of the audience.
Is Fusion Still Relevant?
You might think instrumental jazz fusion is a relic of the 80s. You’d be wrong.
Thanks to the internet, a whole new generation of fans in the West is discovering T-Square. They’re finding old clips of the band performing at the "Casiopea vs. T-Square" battles. Those concerts were legendary. It was like a heavyweight boxing match, but with synthesizers.
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The influence of T-Square Super Band is everywhere now. You hear it in video game soundtracks (Mario Kart, anyone?), in modern math rock, and in the "Future Funk" scene. They created a language of "optimistic music." It’s music that sounds like progress.
Practical Steps for New Listeners
If you’re just getting into them, don't just start with a "Greatest Hits" shuffle. You’ll miss the evolution.
- Watch the Live DVDs: Seriously. T-Square is a live band first. Find the 35th Anniversary Festival or the Yaon de Asobu concert. The energy on stage is way higher than on the studio recordings.
- Listen to "Takarajima": This is a fan favorite for a reason. It’s been covered by almost every high school brass band in Japan. It’s the "Stairway to Heaven" of Japanese fusion.
- Check out the 2020s era: Even without Andoh, the band continues as "T-Square alpha." They’re still putting out albums like Wish (2022) and Vento de Felicidade (2023).
- Study the EWI: If you’re a musician, look into the Akai EWI. It is the signature sound of the band. Takeshi Itoh’s use of it is what separated T-Square from every other jazz group in the world.
The legacy of the Super Band isn't just about technical proficiency. It's about a group of musicians who refused to let their sound get stale. They kept changing, kept inviting new talent, and kept the "square" (their original logo) moving forward. Whether you call them a jazz band, a fusion group, or just the guys who wrote the F1 song, their place in music history is permanent.
To truly appreciate the depth of their discography, start by comparing the original 1987 version of "Truth" with the "Truth 21c" version. It’s a perfect microcosm of how they’ve managed to stay contemporary for nearly half a century without losing their identity.