[Brave & Joyful]
No.30EX "Takarajima" by T-SQUARE
Greetings
Hi. Today's song is "Takarajima" (Treasure island) by "T-Square".
This is a joyful & brave nice instrumental number performed by a poular & long-serving Fusion, or Pop-instrumental group, "T-Square".
If you like, please listen.
Some links to the music shops offering song samples are located on the bottom of this page.
Few contents have been put away in a " ▼Memo " tab in each section, so please click it to read.
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Thank you.
1.Song data
| Title | Takarajima (Treasure island) |
|---|---|
| Artist | T-Square |
| Album Title | Takara-no uta, T-Square Plays The Square (Music Treasures) |
| Catalog Number | VRCL-10102 |
| Track No. | 2 |
| Duration | 4:56 |
| Released | 2010 |
| Publisher | Village records |
| Lyricist | Instrumental music |
| Composer | Hirotaka Izumi |
| Arranger | T-Square |
- About the creators
Instrumental musicLyricist
This is an instrumental music, and there is no lyrics.
Hirotaka Izumi Composer
"Hirotaka Izumi" is a pianist, keyboradist, composer, arranger, and a former keyboardist of a popular fusion band "T-Square".
Career
"Hirotaka Izumi" began to learn the piano from childhood.
He started band activities from high school, and was already working as a studio musician when he was a student of the University.
In 1982, "Izumi" became a keyboardist to a popular fusion band "T-Square", since then he participated actively as an indispensable keyboardist, composer and arranger of "T-Square".
However in 1998, due to the restructuring of the band, "Izumi" decided to leave the band after 16 years from the date of joining.
Since he left the band, began to focus playing the acoustic piano rather than the electric keyboards.
And until 2005, "Izumi" continued to release the acoustic piano albums as "Hirotaka Izumi piano trio".
In 2005, "Izumi" teamed up a new Jazz-fusion band "Pyramid" with 2 other members namely, "Akira Jimbo"(Ds) and "Yuji Toriyama"(G), and has been playing an extremely stylish instrumental music.
By the way, they say that the above 3 musicians are alumni of the University according to Wikipedia.
Recent
"Izumi" is actively collaborating with various musicians in Jazz or pops field in addition to solo activity.
Or, as a member of "Pyramid", he is releasing excellent albums.
And also as a former member of "T-Square", he is often requested to join and perform at their "reunion" concerts.
(Ref: Wikipedia-jp, Hirotaka Izumi )
(Ref: jazzfusion.com,
Hirotaka Izumi interview)🇯🇵
Video clip
Finally, this is a small music clip of a Big band Jazz standard, "Rhapsody In Blue" covered by a fusion group "Pyramid" which "Hirotaka Izumi" belongs to.
"Rhapsody In Blue" is a well known Big band Jazz standard written by an American composer "George Gershwin".
But, it becomes like this once covered by "Pyramid" members.
If you like, please listen.
* "Rhapsody In Blue" by "Pyramid" "
T-SquareArranger
The name "T-Square" is often credited as an arranger on "T-Square"'s instrumental music.
Perhaps they use "T-Square" as the name of the arranger, in case if there is no apparent arranger, and the each of the members arranged their own part.
Cover art today
- Sound impressions
Brave & bouncy
This seems to be a brave and jaunty fusion instrumental in a relatively fast rhythm.
Adventurous
The bass, drums, electric guitar, keyboard, and acoustic piano begin a joyful and adventurous introduction, then main melody starts.
An exciting main theme is performed by the wind synthesizer (EWI?), which is almost the sound signature of "T-Square".
There are solo plays of the acoustic piano, and wind synthesizer. Both are excellent and beautiful.
Old & New
Today's "Takarajima" is the version newly recorded in 2010 by the latest members.
There are some differences on rhythms, or the sounds of instruments compared with the original version.
Which one do you prefer?
"Takarajima"(1986)
(Treasure island)
by "The Square"
(You can still listen this song by clicking the banner. Please select track No.7 once the page is open.)
"Takarajima"(2010)
(Treasure island)
by "T-Square"
(You can still listen this song by clicking the banner. Please select track No.2 once the page is open.)
- Reference
- About the artist
T-SquarePioneer of J-fusion
"T-Square", formerly "The Square" is a 5-piece Pop-instrumental (or Fusion) group active since 1978.
One of the most popular, and leading Fusion instrumental group in Japan, and also known as the pioneer of the application of the wind synthesizers.
The group debuted in 1978 with their first album, "Lucky Summer Lady". Since then, 18 singles, and 60 original, 5 live, and 14 best albums have been released until now.
Short bio
This section is is on updating. Please wait for a while.
Brass Band Video clips
"Takarajima" also became a popular choice for Brass bands, since a brass arranged score were created by a notable composer and arranger, "Toshio Mashima" in 1987.
Since then, "Takarajima" became a standard number for the brass band in all over Japan, and now a days, brass version is the first experience for some students, and often say they have never heard the original track of "T-Square".
Great music is always like that.
-
"Takarajima" in the first video was performed by "White Tie wind ensemble", which is the ace brass band team of "SENZOKU GAKUEN college of Music".
Interestingly, the conductor for this day was "Toshio Mashima", since he was a visiting professor of the college.
The first 2 minutes is Mashima's talk in Japanese, so please skip if you like.
-
The 2nd video is a performance played by "SHOBI Pops Wind Orchestra" of "SHOBI College of Music".
On this video, 2 excellent saxophonists, namely "Takahiro Miyazaki" (in black), a former member of "T-Square", and "Nobotta Orita" (Kōji Orita, in red) who is a member of a horn group, "BIG HORNS BEE", were participating, and performing a saxophone battle.
If you like, please have a look.
- Samples from online music stores
About the samples
Please go to the page below, and just play or click track No.2.
Trial button is on the left side of the song title.
AD :
Free listening samples
Amazon JP(en)
recochoku.jp
Apple Music(jp)
(You can still listen this song by clicking the banner. Please select track No.2 once the page is open.)
8. Japanese Letters
| Song Title | 宝島 (Takarajima) |
|---|---|
| Artist | T-Square |
| Album Title | 宝曲 (takara no uta) T-SQUARE plays THE SQUARE |
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