, commonly abbreviated by fans as Skapara or TSPO, is a Japanese

ska Ska (; ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walki ...

and

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

band formed in 1988 by the percussionist Asa-Chang, and initially composed of over 10 veterans of Tokyo's underground scene. At the time, the band's sound was unlike that of any of its contemporaries in the then fledgling Japanese ska scene, and over the course of the past 31 years, they have been influential on

Japanese music In Japan, music includes a wide array of distinct genres, both traditional and modern. The word for "music" in Japanese is 音楽 (''ongaku''), combining the kanji 音 ''on'' (sound) with the kanji 楽 ''gaku'' (music, comfort). Japan is the world ...

as a whole. Its sound, the product of the musical influences of its members, is a mix of traditional

, and

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

. In the vein of many other more traditional ska acts, many of Skapara's songs are purely instrumental. Since its inception, the band has gone on several nationwide tours of Japan, and have toured worldwide. They have collaborated with several vocalists outside of their band, including

Shiina Ringo , known by her stage name , is a Japanese singer, songwriter and musician. She is also the founder and lead vocalist of the band Tokyo Jihen. She describes herself as "". She was ranked number 36 in a list of Japan's top 100 musicians compiled ...

Akira Kobayashi is a Japanese actor and singer. His nickname is . Biography Kobayashi attended Meiji University but left before graduating. He became an actor at Nikkatsu and made his film debut with "Ueru Tamashii" directed by Yuzo Kawashima in 1956. He s ...

Kyōko Koizumi (born February 4, 1966) is a Japanese singer and actress. She is signed to Victor Entertainment. Career In 1981, Kyoko Koizumi participated and won the Star Tanjo! programme and released her 1st single in March 1982. She gained her first num ...

Schadaraparr , or SDP for short, is a three-member Japanese Hip hop, hip-hop group that formed in 1988 and debuted in 1990. History The group consists of two MCs, Bose and Ani, and one DJ, Shinco. Scha Dara Parr is often compared to rap trio the Beastie Bo ...

, PUFFY, Yoshie Nakano and

Tamio Okuda is a Japanese singer, songwriter, and producer. He started his career in 1986 as a member of the band Unicorn. After Unicorn broke up, Okuda moved on to a solo career in 1994 with the single "Ai no Tame ni". He has written and composed many song ...

. They also performed the Japanese theme song to the

PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...

game ''

Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus ''Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus'' (known as ''Sly Raccoon'' in PAL territories) is a 2002 stealth platform video game developed by Sucker Punch Productions and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2. It is the f ...

'', entitled "Black Jack", as well as songs for the

PlayStation is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...

game '' Incredible Crisis'' released in 1999, the 2020–21 Japanese drama '' Kamen Rider Saber'' and the closing ceremony for the 2020 Olympic Games.

History

Early beginnings

The band's first release was 1989's eponymous six-track EP, released on

vinyl Vinyl may refer to: Chemistry * Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer * Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation * Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry * Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from vinyl m ...

by local independent label Kokusai Records. That record's acceptance, coupled with the band's live shows, got them a deal with

Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...

. At this time the 'classic' lineup of the band included: Asa-Chang (percussions), Tsuyoshi Kawakami (Bass), Tatsuyuki Aoki (drums), Yuichi Oki (keyboards), Marc Hayashi (guitar), Tatsuyuki Hiyamuta (alto sax/agitate man), Gamo (tenor sax), Atsushi Yanaka (baritone sax), Nargo (trumpet), Masahiko Kitahara (trombone) and Cleanhead Gimura (vocals). Yuhei Takeuchi (alto sax) was part of the original lineup, but left in 1990, though he has re-joined the band live on several occasions.

1990s

was released in 1990, and includes their first big hit, ''Monster Rock''. Within a year, the band was playing Tokyo's Budokan Arena in front of 10,000 fans. After their second album, , original guitarist Marc Hayashi left the band and was replaced by Toru Terashi. Their third album, ''Pioneers'', marked the last recording of the band with founder Asa-Chang, who decided to pursue a solo career. ''Fantasia'' was recorded as a 10 piece with no permanent replacement on percussion. While the band worked on their fifth album, vocalist Cleanhead Gimura lost his ongoing battle with

brain cancer A brain tumor occurs when abnormal cells form within the brain. There are two main types of tumors: malignant tumors and benign (non-cancerous) tumors. These can be further classified as primary tumors, which start within the brain, and secondar ...

and died. ''Grand Prix'' was released in 1995 as a tribute to the singer. This record continued the band's progression into a more pop-oriented sound, and it featured a number of guest musicians and singers. As far as live performances, Tatsuyuki Hiyamuta essentially became the front-man for the band. 1996 saw the release of , which toned back the pop stylings of ''Grand Prix''. This marked the first appearance on record of new percussionist Hajime Ohmori. During the band's visit to Thailand, Alto Sax/Agitate Man Tatsuyuki Hiyamuta was involved in a motorcycle accident, suffering damage to his legs. He missed out on some shows, but after recovery decided to continue performing, in many cases carrying a cane, or just sitting down while playing. Shortly thereafter Toru Terashi left the band. After this album, the band decided to leave

, as there was a feeling that the label had not been able to properly convert their popularity into record sales. They signed with indie label Avex Trax, who also created an exclusive imprint for Skapara, Justa Record. The band recruited Rui Sugimura (brother of Cleanhead Gimura) as a full-time singer. This would become the band's most prolific period, with a number of releases, including the ''Arkestra'' album, various 12” and 7” records (which included remixes from ''Arkestra'' songs as well as completely new tracks), the ''Hinotama Jive'' EP, the soundtrack to the video game '' Incredible Crisis'', and several tribute album appearances. The band embarked on a tour of Japan (documented on the DVD ''Ska Evangelists on the Run''). Since no official guitarist had been hired yet, they toured with the two guitarists that worked on the album: Takashi Kato (of Lost Candi) and 會田茂一 (of El Malo). During the ''Arkestra'' tour, original drummer Tatsuyuki Aoki died in a train accident. He was temporarily replaced by

Tatsuya Nakamura is a Japanese musician, drummer and actor. After performing with several prominent punk rock bands, Nakamura rose to fame as drummer of Blankey Jet City from 1987 to 2000. In 1996, he founded his solo project Losalios, where he performs every ...

( Blankey Jet City and Losalios). At the end of the tour, Kin-Ichi Motegi (ex-

Fishmans are a Japanese band formed in 1987 in Minato, Tokyo. They are known for their unique psychedelic sound and the distinctive vocals of the late lead singer Shinji Sato, as well as the drum playing of Kin-Ichi Motegi and rocksteady basslines of ...

) also filled in. Rui Sugimura left in mid-1999 as well. Takashi Kato became a permanent member of the band.

2000s

2000's Full Tension Beaters was a full-on Ska record, and their first album to be released outside of Asia (by Grover Records in Germany). Even though Motegi was still working as support drummer during this recording, it was the first record with the band's most stable line-up, consisting of Yanaka, Gamo, Nargo, Kitahara and Hiyamuta on the horn section, Oki on keyboards, Kawakami on Bass, Ohmori on percussions, Kato on guitar and Motegi on drums. The lineup would remain the same until 2008. For their next record, ''Stomping on Downbeat Alley'', the band invited three guest singers: Yusuke Chiba (

Thee Michelle Gun Elephant Thee Michelle Gun Elephant (often abbreviated to TMGE) was a Japanese garage rock band formed in 1991. History The band was formed in 1991,Strong, Martin C. (2003) ''The Great Indie Discography'', Canongate, , p. 1025-6 while Chiba, Ueno, and Ku ...

), Tajima Takao (

Original Love Original Love (オリジナル・ラブ) is a Japanese music band and project by Takao Tajima. The band was formed in 1986 with four members, but since 1995 they have been a solo project for Takao Tajima. They were nominated in the 1994 MTV V ...

Pizzicato Five Pizzicato Five (formerly typeset as Pizzicato V and sometimes abbreviated to P5)Yang Jeff, Dina Can, Terry Hong, (1997) ''Eastern Standard Time'' pg 277 New York: Mariner Books was a Japanese pop band formed in Tokyo in 1979 by multi-instrume ...

) and

(

Unicorn The unicorn is a legendary creature that has been described since antiquity as a beast with a single large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead. In European literature and art, the unicorn has for the last thousand years o ...

). The album and singles were a huge success and a gig at

Yokohama Arena is an indoor arena located in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The capacity of the arena is 17,000 and was opened in 1989. The arena was modeled after US sports venue Madison Square Garden in New York City. It is a five-minute walk from the ...

(with all three guest singers) was released as ''Downbeat Arena''. The band also embarked on a European tour which was documented on the

DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kind ...

''Catch the Rainbow''. ''High Numbers'' was a more low-profile release, having mostly instrumental tracks, along with Kin-Ichi Motegi's first lead vocal track, "Ginga to Meiro". 2004's ''Answer'' was a similar affair. For 2006's ''Wild Peace'', the band once again recruited three guest vocalists: Chara, Hanaregumi, and Hiroto Komoto (

The High-Lows were a popular Japanese punk rock band that was formed in 1995. The band stopped all activities in November 2005 and broke up. Members * Hiroto Kōmoto – vocals, harmonica, occasional rhythm guitar * Masatoshi Mashima –guitar, backing ...

). As with ''Downbeat Alley'' these singles became huge hits, and the band also recorded a DVD at the final show for the tour, with all three singers. They once again toured Europe with this record. The DVD ''Smile'' was released to document this tour. ''Perfect Future'' soon followed, with more jazz leanings, and only one guest vocalist, Fumio Ito (of

Kemuri Kemuri (Japanese for ''smoke'') is a Japanese-American ska punk band formed in Oxnard, California in 1995. They have an upbeat sound with positive lyrics which they refer to as PMA (positive mental attitude). While the majority of their songs a ...

). Kin-Ichi Motegi also recorded a vocal track for this album. A few months after the release of ''Perfect Future'', Tatsuyuki Hiyamuta, essentially the band's front man in live performances, decided to leave the band in order to concentrate on healing his legs, due to the accident suffered in 1996. The band decided not to replace him, thereby remaining as a nine-piece. In early 2009 ''Paradise Blue'' was released, with the first line-up difference in almost a decade. This marked the 20th anniversary since the band's first EP was released, and they toured Japan in support of the album.

2010s

2010 saw the release of ''World Ska Symphony'', featuring guest vocals from

Crystal Kay is a Japanese singer, songwriter, actress and radio host. After releasing her first single, " Eternal Memories" (1999), Crystal Kay gained fame for her third studio album, '' Almost Seventeen'' (2002), which debuted at number 2 on the Japanese ...

, and

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. They played at Vive Latino Festival in Mexico City in April 2011. This was their first show in Latin America. They played at

Coachella Coachella may refer to: * Coachella, California * Coachella Canal, in California * Coachella (festival), an annual music and arts festival in California * "Coachella – Woodstock in My Mind", a 2017 song by Lana del Rey See also

* Coachell ...

in California on April 12, 2013. In 2014, the band celebrated their 25th anniversary. For the release of ''Ska Me Forever'', the album featured guest vocals from 10-Feet,

MONGOL800 is a Japanese three-piece punk rock band from Urasoe, Okinawa, Japan formed in 1998. When the members were aged 19, the band released their first album. In 2001, despite low commercial attention, they sold over two-million records from the alb ...

, and

Asian Kung-Fu Generation (stylized as ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION) is a Japanese alternative rock band formed in Yokohama in 1996. For its entire career, the band has consisted of vocalist Masafumi Gotoh, guitarist Kensuke Kita, bassist Takahiro Yamada, and drummer Kiyo ...

. In October 2014 the band released ''Ska Me Forever'' Mexican Edition, edited by "Casete", which includes a CD bonus with 2 special songs for Mexican fans: "Cielito Lindo" and an arrangement of "Cafe Tacvba" hit "Eres". Also, they played a show in Mexico City to promote this edition, gathering more than 6,000 people, being their most successful single show in America. In 2020, the band composed and performed the opening and ending songs for the Tokusatsu series, Kamen Rider Saber.

Members

;Current members Image:Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra mg 6214.jpg, NARGO (Kimiyoshi Nagoya) on

trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...

, Firebird trumpet and

melodica The melodica is a handheld free-reed instrument similar to a pump organ or harmonica. It features a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. The keyboard usual ...

(Original Member) Image:Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra mg 6087.jpg, Masahiko Kitahara on

trombone The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the Brass instrument, brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the Standing wave, air column ...

and

sousaphone The sousaphone ( ) is a brass instrument in the tuba family. Created around 1893 by J. W. Pepper at the direction of American bandleader John Philip Sousa (after whom the instrument was then named), it was designed to be easier to play than ...

(Original Member) Image:Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra mg 6218.jpg, GAMO on

tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while th ...

and

soprano saxophone The soprano saxophone is a higher-register variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument invented in the 1840s. The soprano is the third-smallest member of the saxophone family, which consists (from smallest to largest) of the soprillo, sop ...

(Original Member) Image:Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra mg 6151.jpg, Atsushi Yanaka on

baritone saxophone The baritone saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of instruments, larger (and lower-pitched) than the tenor saxophone, but smaller (and higher-pitched) than the bass. It is the lowest-pitched saxophone in common use - the bass, contra ...

(Original Member) Image:Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra mg 5994.jpg, Tsuyoshi Kawakami on bass (Original Member) Image:Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra mg 6092.jpg, Takashi Kato on

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

(Joined 1998) Image:Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra mg 6149.jpg, Yuichi Oki on

keyboards Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...

(Original Member) Image:Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra mg 6126.jpg, Hajime Oumori on

percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...

(Joined 1996) Image:Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra mg 6009.jpg, Kinichi Motegi on

Drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

in background (Joined 1999) with Tatsuyuki Hiyamuta (see below) in foreground ;Former members * Yuhei Takeuchi —

flute The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...

(left 4/1990) * Masayuki "MARC" Hayashi —

(left 6/1992) * Asa-Chang —

(left 3/1993) **Left the band in order to pursue other projects. * Cleanhead Gimura —

vocals Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...

(died 4/23/1995) **The band's frontman. Died following a battle with

. * Toru Terashi —

(joined 7/1993, left 1/1998) * Rui Sugimura —

(joined 2/1998, left 2/1999) * Tatsuyuki Aoki —

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

(died 5/2/1999) **Killed in a rail accident. *Tatsuyuki Hiyamuta —

alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in E, smaller than the B tenor ...

(left 7/17/2008) **Left to focus on healing and recovery from an injury received to his right foot in Thailand from a motorcycle accident in 1996 that had been hindered by constant travel and performances. He has expressed interest in returning after his recovery has been completed. ;Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

* ''Skapara's Intro'' (スカパラ登場) (Epic Records, May 1, 1990) * ''Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra'' (東京スカパラダイスオーケストラ) (Epic Records, December 1, 1990) – Re-issue of the debut 12" * ''World-famous'' (ワールドフェイマス) (Epic Records, June 21, 1991) * ''Pioneers'' (Epic Records, March 21, 1993) * ''Fantasia'' (Epic Records, April 21, 1994) * ''Grand Prix'' (Epic Records, June 21, 1995) * ''Tokyo Strut'' (トーキョーストラット) (Epic Records, September 2, 1996) * ''Arkestra'' (Avex Trax, August 26, 1998) * ''Full-Tension Beaters'' (Avex Trax, July 26, 2000; Grover Records, July 04, 2003) * ''Stompin' On Down Beat Alley'' (Cutting Edge, May 22, 2002) * ''High Numbers'' (Cutting Edge, March 5, 2003) * ''Answer'' (Cutting Edge, March 9, 2005) * ''Wild Peace'' (Cutting Edge, June 7, 2006) * ''Perfect Future'' (Cutting Edge, March 26, 2008) * ''Paradise Blue'' (Cutting Edge, February 4, 2009) * ''World Ska Symphony'' (Cutting Edge, March 10, 2010) * ''Goldfingers'' (Cutting Edge, October 27, 2010) – Mini-Album * ''Walkin (Avex Entertainment, March 21, 2012) * ''Desire'' (欲望) (Cutting Edge, November 17, 2012) * ''Diamond In Your Heart'' (*初回出荷分はデジパック仕様) (July 11, 2013) * ''Ska Me Forever'' (August 13, 2014) * ''Paradise Has No Border'' (March 8, 2017) * ''Glorious'' (March 14, 2018) * ''Tokyo Ska-Lorful Collage'' (November 20, 2019) * ''SKA=ALMIGHTY'' (March 3, 2021)

Singles

*Monster Rock - (04/21/1990 Epic Records) *Countdown To Glory (栄光へのカウントダウン) - (01/21/1991 Epic Records) *Hole in One (ホールインワン) - (06/21/1991 Epic Records) *World-famous Remix - 12/25/1991 Epic Records) *Burning Scale - (12/02/1992 Epic Records) *Tiger of Marai (マライの號) - (05/01/1993 Epic Records) *Gold Rush - (08/21/1993 Epic Records) *Happening (ハプニング) - (10/23/1993 Epic Records) *Blue Mermaid (ブルーマーメイド) - (12/12/1993 Epic Records)) *Happy Go Lucky - (09/07/1994 Epic Records) *Tokyo Deluxe (東京デラックス) - (01/21/1995 Epic Records) *Watermelon - (04/28/1995 Epic Records) *Jam - (07/21/1995 Epic Records) *Rock Monster Strikes Back - (07/21/1996) *Hurry Up!! - (04/21/1997 Epic Records) *Does Love Exist? (愛があるかい？) - (04/22/1998 Avex Trax) *Dear My Sister - (07/08/1998 Avex Trax) *Hinotama Jive (火の玉ジャイヴ) - (05/12/1999 Avex Trax) *Devote to the Battle Melody (戦場に捧げるメロディー) - (11/17/1999 Avex Trax) *Filmmakers Bleed ~Decisive Battle on the Summit~ (フィルムメイカーズ・ブリード～頂上決戦～) - (06/21/2000 Cutting Edge) *Peeled Orange (めくれたオレンジ) - (08/08/2001 Cutting Edge) *Great Singing Bird Sky (カナリヤ鳴く空) - (12/12/2001 Cutting Edge) *Beautiful Burning Forest (美しく燃える森) - (02/14/2002 Cutting Edge) *The Galaxy and Maze (銀河と迷路) - (02/05/2003 Cutting Edge) *A Quick Drunkard - (06/04/2003 Cutting Edge) *Map of the World (世界地図) - (05/25/2004 Cutting Edge) *Stroke of Fate - (07/08/2004 Cutting Edge) *Farewell My Friend (さらば友よ) - (2004 Cutting Edge) Limited edition sold only at ANSWER TOUR concert venues *Tsuioku no Lilac (迫憶のライラック) - (12/14/2005 Cutting Edge) *The Sapphire Star (サファイアの星) - (02/15/2006 Cutting Edge) *The Star Spangled Night (星降る夜に) - (05/10/2006 Cutting Edge) *KinouKyouAshita - (10/07/2009 Cutting Edge) *Ryusei to Ballade (流星とバラード)- (1/27/2010 Cutting Edge) *Break into the Light～約束の帽子～／The Sharing Song～トリコのテーマ～（3/16/2011 Cutting Edge） *Sunny Side of the Street (All Good Ska is One/Twinkle Star~Tayorino Hoshi~) (8/3/2011 Avex) *Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra feat. 10-FEET "Senkou" (閃光　feat.10-FEET)- (12/4/2013 Cutting Edge/Justa Record) *Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra feat. MONGOL800 "Nagare Yuku Sekai No Naka De"(流れゆく世界の中で feat.MONGOL800)- (03/12/2014 Cutting Edge/Justa Record) *Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra feat. Asian Kung Fu Generation " Wake Up!"- (07/02/2014 Cutting Edge/Justa Records) *Mekutta Orenji (爆音ラヴソング/めくったオレンジ) - (07/29/2015 Cutting Edge/Justa Records) *Uso Wo Tsuku Kuchibiru (嘘をつく唇) - (12/09/2015 Cutting Edge/Justa Records) *Michi Naki Michi, Hankotsu No (道なき道、反骨の) - (06/22/2016 Cutting Edge/Justa Records) *Sayonara Hotel (さよならホテル) - (09/07/2016 Cutting Edge/Justa Records) *Multiple Exposures feat. Yoohei Kawakami Movie Edit. (多重露光) - (12/18/2020 Avex Trax) *Almighty ~The Masked Promise~ feat. Yoohei Kawakami (ALMIGHTY ~ 仮面の約束) - (12/23/2020 Avex Trax)

Vinyl Releases

*Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra (東京スカパラダイスオーケストラ) 12" - (1989 Kokusai Records) *Skapara's Intro (スカパラ登場) - (1990 Epic Records) *World-famous (ワールドフェイマス) LP - (06/21/1991 Epic Records) *World-famous Remix 12" - (10/28/1991 Epic Records) *Pioneers - (1993 Epic Records) Promo 12" with selections from Pioneers Album. *Just a Little Bit of Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra (04/21/1994) *Happening (ハプニング) 12" - (1995 Epic Records) *Fantasia - (1995 Epic Records) Promo 12" with selections from Fantasia Album. *Grand Prix - (1995 Epic Records) *Rock Monster Strikes Back 12" - (08/13/96 Epic Records) *The Movin' Dub (On the Whole Red Satellites) 7" - (1998 Justa Record) *Jon Lord 7" - (1998 Justa Record) *One Night 12" - (1998 Justa Record) *Ska Jerk 12" - (1998 Justa Record) *Abracadabra 12" - (1998 Justa Record) *Ring O' Fire 12" - (1998 Justa Record) *Jazzie Speaks 12" - (1999 Justa Record) *Theme of Lupin III Pt. I & II 12" - (2000 Justa Record) *Best(1989～1997) LP (11/07/2002 Epic Records) *Afro Art Remixes 12" - (12/2002 Afro Art Records) *Downbeat Selector 7" Box Set- (2002 Cutting Edge) The 4 Downbeat Alley singles on vinyl. *High Numbers LP - (03/05/2003 Cutting Edge) *Full-Tension Beaters LP - (07/04/2003 Grover Records) *Man In The Street / After The Rain 7" - (2014 Justa/Cutting Edge/Jet Set) *Ska Me Forever LP - (03/02/2015 Nacional Records) *Wake Up! feat. Asian Kung Fu Generation - (2015 Justa/Cutting Edge/Jet Set) *Authentic Tokyo Ska 12" - (18/04/2015 Justa/Cutting Edge/Jet Set)

Collaborations / Splits

*Oka o Koete (with

) (1990 Victor Entertainment) *Akira Bushi Akira no Jin to Paradise (with

) (1995) *Watermelon (with ) (04/28/1995 Epic Records) * Beauty & Stupid Tokyo Ska Version (music for hide) (1996) *Decameron (with

Naoto Takenaka is a Japanese actor, comedian, singer, and director from Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, affiliated with From First Production. He is married to idol singer and actress Midori Kinouchi. He is also known as the voice of Samuel L. Jac ...

) (1997) *Spanish Hustle (with Malawi Rocks) 12" (2000 Justa Record) *

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) (2001) *Hazumu Rhythm (ハズムリズム)(with Puffy) (2006) *L-O-V-E (with Rico Rodriguez) (2006) *Secret Code (with

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(2016) * Quem tem um amigo (tem tudo)

(2020)

Live albums

*Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra Live (東京スカパラダイスオーケストラライブ) (03/21/1991 Epic Records) *Gunslingers -Live Best- (03/14/2001 Avex Trax) *On Tour (02/04/2004 Cutting Edge) *Perfect Future: Live at

Montreux Jazz Festival The Montreux Jazz Festival (formerly Festival de Jazz Montreux and Festival International de Jazz Montreux) is a music festival in Switzerland, held annually in early July in Montreux on the Lake Geneva shoreline. It is the second-largest annual ...

(3/26/08 Cutting Edge) (bonus live cd with first pressing of Perfect Future) *Live at Budokan-"The Last" (02/03/2016 Cutting Edge)

Comp Tracks / Tributes

*Respectable Roosters - A Tribute to

The Roosters are a Japanese rock band formed in Fukuoka Prefecture in 1979. Their music has mixed rock and roll, punk rock, British blues, ska, and new wave. Originally active from 1979 to 1988, they performed at the 2004 Fuji Rock Festival before restar ...

: "Rosie" (1999) *Welcome to the Plastic World: "Cards" (1999) *Ska Stock: Tribute to the

Skatalites The Skatalites are a ska band from Jamaica. They played initially between 1963 and 1965, and recorded many of their best known songs in the period, including " Guns of Navarone." They also played on records by Prince Buster and backed many oth ...

: "Shot in the Dark" (studio version) *Punch the Monkey Vol II: "Lupin the 3rd '78" (1999) *Tribute to

Yellow Magic Orchestra Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO for short) is a Japanese electronic music band formed in Tokyo in 1978 by Haruomi Hosono (bass, keyboards, vocals), Yukihiro Takahashi (drums, lead vocals) and Ryuichi Sakamoto (keyboards, vocals). The group is conside ...

: "Simoon" (2004) *Tribute to

Haruomi Hosono , sometimes credited as Harry Hosono, is a Japanese musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. He is considered to be one of the most influential musicians in Japanese pop music history, credited with shaping the sound of Japanese pop f ...

: "アブソリュート・エゴ・ダンス" (2007) *Sirius〜Tribute to UEDA GEN〜: "-6m" (2008) *Tribute to

: "I'm a Loser" (2007) *Tokyo Ska plays

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...

(2015)

DVD and Blu-Ray

*Ska Evangelists On the Run Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra 1998>>1999 - (03/29/2000 Avex) *Down Beat Selector (09/04/2002 Cutting Edge) *Down Beat Arena～Yokohama Arena (Down Beat Arena～横浜アリーナ7.7.2002(完全版) - (07/7/2002 Cutting Edge) *Europe Tour 2003 Road-Move DVD (Catch the Rainbow (Europe Tour 2003 ロード・ムーヴィーDVD「Catch the Rainbow」) - (03/03/2004 Cutting Edge) *Skapara at Cabaret (スカパラatキャバレー) - (03/10/2004 Epic) *Live Grand Prix - (03/10/2004 Epic) *18540617 - (03/10/2004 Epic) *15th Anniversary Live Since Debut 2004.10.22 - (01/01/2005 Cutting Edge) *Wild Peace Tour Final @ Saitama Super Arena (Wild Peace Tour Final @ さいたまスーパーアリーナ) - (05/3/2007 Cutting Edge) *Smile- A Film by Koichi Makino - (09/12/2007 Cutting Edge) *and TOKYO SKA goes on... - (3/10/2010 Cutting Edge) *Tokyo Ska Paradise Kokugikan & Tokyo Ska Paradise Taiikukan Live - (12/12/2010 Cutting Edge) *Discover Japan Tour - LIVE IN HACHIOJI 2011.12.27 (07/12/2012 Cutting Edge) *Live at Budokan-"The Last" DVD & Blu-Ray Edition 2015.03.28 (02/03/2016 Cutting Edge) *"Kanaeta Yume ni Hi wo Tsukete Moyasu LIVE IN KYOTO 2016.4.14" & "Tokyo Ska Jamboree 2016.8.6" Blu-Ray Edition (12/14/2016 Cutting Edge)

Videos

*Skapara Video (スカパラビデオ) - (12/01/1991 Epic) *Osamu's Amazing Songs (音曲の乱) - (03/25/1992 Epic) *TOKYOSKA: Everytime We Say Goodbye - (08/08/1992 Epic) *World Series from Tokyo Ska - (02/12/1992 Epic) *Skapara at Cabaret (スカパラatキャバレー) - (12/12/1993 Epic) *Live Fantasia - (04/21/1994 Epic) *Video Fantasia - (04/21/1994 Epic) *Live Grand Prix -(12/01/1995 Epic) *18540617 - (11/21/1997 Epic) *Ska Evangelists On the Run Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra 1998-1999 - (11/17/1999 Avex)

Soundtracks

*Tokyo Deluxe Original Soundtrack (東京デラックスオリジナルサウンドトラック) (1995) * Incredible Crisis! Original Soundtrack (とんでもクライシス！オリジナルサウンドトラック) (1999) *New Moral Battle Homicide Original Soundtrack (新仁義なき戦い謀殺オリジナルサウンドトラック) (2003) *HEROES (One Piece 3D Movie Soundtrack)- (3/16/2011 Cutting Edge)

Band Compilations

*gifted WINTER SELECTION (12/01/1993 Epic Records) *JUST A LITTLE BIT OF TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA (vinyl)(04/21/1994) *THE BEST SELECTION (THE BEST SELECTION (タイ盤）(rare) (1996) *MOODS FOR TOKYO SKA: WE DON'T KNOW WHAT SKA IS (11/21/1997 Epic Records) *JUSTA RECORD COMPILATION Vol.1 (07/23/1999 Avex Trax) *BEST(1989～1997) (11/07/2002 Epic Records) *SKA ME CRAZY: THE BEST Of TSPO (03/14/2005

Anagram Records Cherry Red Records is a British independent record label founded in Malvern, Worcestershire by Iain McNay in 1978. The label has released recordings by Dead Kennedys, Everything But the Girl, The Monochrome Set, and Felt, among others, as well ...

) *Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra: Best of Tokyo Ska 1998~2007 - 26 songs selected by Kin-ichi Motegi (03/21/2007 Cutting Edge) *25th Anniversary Best Album "The Last" (04/03/2015)

Side projects

Tsuyoshi Kawakami and His Mood Makers

(Tsuyoshi Kawakami, Hajime Omori) *Tsuyoshi Kawakami and His Mood Makers (川上つよしと彼のムードメイカーズ) - 2001.12.12 *Moodmaker's mood - 2003.08.06 *Floatin Mood - 2004.07.28 *Sparklin' Mood - 2004.12.01 *Mood Inn - 2005.9.14 *Singers Limited - Golden Mood Hits! - 2009.9.13 *Moodsteady - 2010.10.27 *Members' choice MOODY INSTRUMENTALS TOP 10 + 1 - 2011.8.3

Sembello

(Yuichi Oki) *Sembellogy - 2003.08.06 *The Second Album - 2004.11.25 *Kairos - 2006.06.07

Speed King

(TSPO + Fantastic Plastic Machine + Dr Ys + KMP + OCHICHY) *SPEED KING - 2000.02.21

Losalios

(Takashi Kato) *Sekaichizuwa Chinoato - 1999.11.10 *Colorado Shit Dog - 2002.05.01 *School Of High Sense - 2002.10.26 *The End Of The Beauty - 2003.09.03 *ゆうれい船長がハナシてくれたこと - 2005.05.25

So Many Tears

(Kin-Ichi Motegi, Takashi Kato) *So Many Tears - (09.2011 Cutting Edge) *Love and Wander - (07.2013 Cutting Edge)

Fishmans

(Kin-Ichi Motegi) See

Page

Sfkuank

(Nargo & Masahiko Kitahara) *Sfkuank!!- 2005.12.14 *Stand Up Pleeeease!!- 2006.10.18

Compilations Curated By Band Members

*Frank Zappa Compiler - 1999 *Big Bang Blow: Japanese Jazz selected By Nargo, M.Kitahara & Gamo of TSPO - 2003 *JUSTA RECORD presents: 'The 3rd Era of Ska~EURO AUTHENTIC SKA COLLECTION' - 2004.07.28 *JUSTA RECORD presents: 'The 3rd Era of Ska~NORTH AMERICAN SKA COLLECTION' - 2005.03.30

References

External links

Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra Official Website
at JaME UK
HMV Japan "Top 100 Japanese pops Artists"Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra
at

BBC Music BBC Music is responsible for the music played across the BBC. The current director of music is Bob Shennan, who is also the controller of BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 6 Music, and the BBC Asian Network. Officially it is a part of the BBC's Radio o ...

{{Authority control Japanese jazz ensembles Avex Group artists Sony Music Entertainment Japan artists Japanese ska groups Musical groups from Tokyo