Osaka Monaurail

Osaka Monaurail originated in Osaka, Japan, during 1992 and drew their name from the J.B.'s' 1975 funk classic "(It's Not the Express) It's the J.B.'s Monaurail." At the outset the ensemble functioned as a 20-piece big-band funk unit, yet the roster tightened once the group started playing the city's club and bar circuit in 1993, eventually stabilizing with guitarists Ikeda Yuichi and Hayami Dan, trumpeters Kaketa Yasushi and Sakakibarta Seiji, trombonist Hiraishi Katsutoshi, drummer Okuse Kensuke, Nakata Ryo on organ and percussion, Mukai Shimon covering flute plus baritone and tenor sax, and bassist Ouchi Tsuyoshi. Their debut album, What It Is...What It Was, surfaced on Shout! in 2000 and was followed a year later by Rumble'n Struggle. After the band relocated to Tokyo in 2003 and underwent a personnel reshuffle, they released Thankful (For What You've Done) in 2004, the live set Eyewitness to the...Live in Heavy Funk System in 2005, and Reality for the People in 2007.