{{Short description|Japanese jazz fusion band}} '''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".<ref>Kazunori Sugiyama, "Rikiya Higashihara". ''The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz''. 2nd edition, ed. Barry Kernfeld.</ref> 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)

*''Daiuchuhmugenryokushin'' (CBS/Sony, 1982)

*''Wind Up'' (CBS/Sony, 1983)

*''Modern Beat'' (CBS/Sony, 1984)

*''Silent Savanna'' (CBS/Sony, 1985)

*''life of music'' (Wave Flower, 2003)<ref>{{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}}</ref> *''THIS is IT!'' (Wave Flower, 2004)<ref>{{cite web |title=THIS is IT! |url=http://www.naniwaexp.com/?page_id=212 |website=Naniwa Express |access-date=27 April 2021}}</ref> *''Fresh Dude'' (Danger Crue, 2012)<ref>{{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}}</ref>

=== 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)

==References== {{Reflist}}

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Category:Japanese jazz ensembles Category:Japanese jazz fusion ensembles