Naniwa Express
Naniwa Express (ナニワエキスプレス, also written as 浪花エキスプレス) was a Japanese jazz fusion group active from 1977 to 1986. According to The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz it was "one of the most successful jazz fusion bands in Japan".Kazunori Sugiyama, "Rikiya Higashihara". The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz. 2nd edition, ed. Barry Kernfeld. The group was founded by Ko Shimizu and Kazuhiko Iwami, with Kiyoshi Kamada on drums in the early years; Kenji Nakamura joined in 1978. The group traveled to the US in 1979 and returned in 1980; Rikiya Higashihara and Makoto Aoyagi joined in 1981. The group made its first recordings for CBS/Sony in 1982, and continued recording until its dissolution in 1986. Limited reunion touring and recording occurred in the 2000s as well as multiple gigs in the 2010s and 2020s.
Members
- Kazuhiko Iwami - guitar
- Kenji Nakamura - keyboards
- Ko Shimizu (ja) - bass
- Makoto Aoyagi (ja) - piano, saxophone
- Rikiya Higashihara - drums
Discography
- No Fuse (CBS/Sony, 1982)
Tracklist:
Believin
The Statue Of Liberty
Between The Sky And The Ground
Blue Willow
The Koya Samba
Field Athletor
For My Love
- Daiuchuhmugenryokushin (CBS/Sony, 1982)
Tracklist:
Red Zone
Image
Daiuchuhmugenryokushin
Marshall Arts
Spot
Jerome
9th Mountain High
Dawn
- Wind Up (CBS/Sony, 1983)
Tracklist:
Jasmin
Manhattan Express
Far Away
Shock Land
Mil' Mama
Back Lash
Seven Taste Cigar
Olino
Missing Moments
- Modern Beat (CBS/Sony, 1984)
Tracklist:
Inside Of You
Empty Corners
Oriental Making Love
Yellow Art
Emergency
Charcoal Break
K-Bone Shuffle
Perpetual Motion
Loving You, Sometimes Leaving You
- Silent Savanna (CBS/Sony, 1985)
Tracklist:
The Lady Of Toledo
Paradise
Boys Be Go Go
Meteor
Animals
Night Flower
Hi-Land
Lazy Fantasy
Let Me Try
- life of music (Wave Flower, 2003){{cite web
|title=Naniwa Express – life of music |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/20390281-Naniwa-Express-life-of-music |access-date=5 October 2022 |website=Discogs}}
- THIS is IT! (Wave Flower, 2004){{cite web |title=THIS is IT! |url=http://www.naniwaexp.com/?page_id=212 |website=Naniwa Express |access-date=27 April 2021}}
- Fresh Dude (Danger Crue, 2012){{Cite web |title=Naniwa Express – Fresh Dude |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/22166524-Naniwa-Express-Fresh-Dude |access-date=5 October 2022 |website=Discogs}}
= Other releases =
- Live at Nagoya Fukiage hall (video) (Sony, 1984)
- Scarlet Beam (compilation) (CBS/Sony, 1985)
- Believin' (single) (CBS/Sony, 1986)
- Red Zone SBM Best Selection (compilation) (Sony, 1993)
- Naniwa Express Box (compilation) (SMDR GT Music, 2007)