T-Square, originally The Square, is a Japanese jazz fusion band formed in 1976 at Meiji University by guitarist and principal composer Masahiro Andoh.[1]
History
The original line-up was Yuhji Nakamura (bass), Masahiro Andoh (guitar), Jun Hakamazuka (piano) and Shunichi Harada (drums); Andoh said the name was inspired by Madison Square Garden.[1] The band debuted on CBS/Sony in 1978 with the disco-leaning Lucky Summer Lady, followed the same year by the more melodic Midnight Lover.[1] Saxophonist Takeshi Itoh left in late 1990 for a solo career and returned in 2000, while Masato Honda served as lead saxophonist from 1991 to 1998.[1]
Truth and the name change
Truth (1987) became the band’s best-known album: it was the first album to win a Japan Gold Disc Award, and its title track served as the theme of Fuji Television’s Formula One coverage from 1987 to 1998 and again from 2012.[1] The name T-Square was adopted for overseas markets, partly to avoid confusion with the American band The Squares; the US reissue of Truth was the first release to use it, and Wave (1989) was the first studio album credited as T-SQUARE.[1]
Legacy
Adventures (1984) contains “Sister Marian”, which Nintendo composer Koji Kondo is reported to have drawn on for the Super Mario Bros. “Ground Theme” (1985).[1] The band has won twelve Japan Gold Disc Awards in total; Andoh left in 2021, and the group released its 51st studio album, Turn the Page, on 4 June 2025.[1]
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Lucky Summer Lady (Debut studio album) | CBS/Sony |
| 1978 | Midnight Lover | CBS/Sony |
| 1984 | Adventures | CBS/Sony |
| 1987 | Truth (First album to win a Japan Gold Disc Award) | CBS/Sony |
| 1989 | Wave (First studio album credited as T-SQUARE) | CBS/Sony |
Notable songs
- “Truth” ↗1987
- “Sister Marian” ↗1984
References
- “T-Square (band)”. Wikipedia. Retrieved 11 October 2026.
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