Casiopea

Casiopea (カシオペア, Kashiopea) is a Japanese jazz fusion band formed in 1976 by guitarist Issei Noro and bassist Tetsuo Sakurai. After lineup changes the following year that added keyboardist Minoru Mukaiya, Casiopea made their major‑label debut with their self‑titled album in 1979, and drummer Akira Jimbo joined in 1980.During this period, they released more than a dozen albums before Sakurai and Jimbo left the band amid disputes over concurrent band memberships. In 1990, bassist Yoshihro Naruse and drummer Masaaki Hiyama joined, resulting in a second era marked by multiple drummer changes, with Jimbo returning as a supporting member in 1997. Noro suspended all band activities in 2006, leading to a six-year hiatus.In 2012, the band resumed activities with Mukaiya not rejoining and Kiyomi Otaka replacing him on keyboards. Renamed Casiopea 3rd for its third period, the group recorded its first album in eight years. After Jimbo left again in 2022, he was replaced by drummer Yoshinori Imai and the band entered its fourth period as Casiopea‑P4. Otaka left in 2025 and was replaced by keyboardist Jun Abe, and the band reverted to its original name.In 1974, guitarist Issei Noro, a third-year student at Tokyo Metropolitan Tamagawa High School, and bassist Tetsuo Sakurai, a second-year at Keio Shiki Senior High School, met through a mutual friend and quickly became friends. The three began rehearsing together at a studio in Tokyo, aiming to emulate Beck, Bogert & Appice with a hard rock and funk-based sound. Occasionally, they included a vocalist in their band, but the core members, Noro and Sakurai, were flexible in their musical approach, causing the band's direction to gradually shift towards instrumental music with jazz elements.Even though the band had been formed, the only two consistent members were Noro and Sakurai, leading them to use different names for each live show they performed. However, during an interview with a magazine, they were informed that the interview could not be published unless they had an official band name. Upon returning home, Noro consulted his mother, who suggested they choose a constellation. After opening a book on constellations, he selected Cassiopeia. However, when the band decided to adopt the name, the English version differed from the formal romanization. After being renamed Casiopea, Noro and Sakurai were joined by keyboardist Hidehiko Koike and drummer Tohru "Rika" Suzuki. In 1976, the band entered the amateur band contest EastWest, sponsored by the Yamaha Corporation. In that contest, Noro won the Best Guitarist award, and the band advanced to the finals. However, after their first contest, Koike and Suzuki left the band to pursue commitments with other bands.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.