Izumi Kobayashi -

Izumi “Mimi” Kobayashi (born March 25, 1957) is a Japanese singer, keyboardist, and composer who led the Flying Mimi Band on the 1978 Philips albums Orange Sky and Sea Flight. She joined Parachute for their 1980 debut Parachute from Asian Port and released the 1981–83 Kitty albums Coconuts High, Nuts, Nuts, Nuts, and Tropicana. Kobayashi wrote the 1981 opening theme “Lum no Love Song” for the anime series Urusei Yatsura and sang the subsequent theme “Dancing Star.” She moved to London in 1985 for production and session work and released the 1989 Megadisc album iK.i.

Flying Mimi Band members: Mimi Izumi Kobayashi, Morio Watanabe, Takayuki Hijikata, Yasuaki Shimizu, Yuichi Togashiki

Background

Izumi “Mimi” Kobayashi was born on March 25, 1957, in Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. She took childhood vocal lessons and began classical piano at ten. At fifteen, she placed a notice in a Yamaha music magazine and found paid work with a dance band in Funabashi. She also took Electone lessons and played organ-trio engagements at clubs in Koiwa. Kobayashi financed her studies at Tokyo College of Music, where she majored in piano, through professional gigs.

During high school, Kobayashi attended Hammond-organ classes in Akasaka and joined a funk band that performed at American military bases. There she met drummer Yuichi Togashiki and played material by the Ohio Players, Commodores, and Earth, Wind & Fire. Togashiki recruited her into ASOCA, a Chiba-area group with singer Tanahashi, bassist Morio Watanabe, and guitarist Takayuki Hijikata. ASOCA won the inaugural Yamaha EastWest competition in 1976, with Masayoshi Takanaka among the judges.

During college, Kobayashi joined the touring band of singer Masatoshi Nakamura. Stage manager Mashita heard her sing during rehearsals and arranged a CBS/Sony deal. Kobayashi enlisted her ASOCA colleagues for the 1977 single “My Beach Samba” (b/w “Yūguredoki no Koibitotachi”), issued under the name Mimie-Chan Super Band.

Kobayashi began work on an album for CBS/Sony but clashed with the label over its planned idol-oriented presentation. Mashita halted the project, and Kobayashi moved to Nippon Phonogram. He renamed her group Flying Mimi Band, which added saxophonist Yasuaki Shimizu to the existing instrumental lineup for the 1978 Philips debut Orange Sky – Endless Summer.

Discography:

Orange Sky: Endless Summer (1978 • Izumi Kobayashi & Flying Mimi Band)
Sea Flight (1978 • Izumi Kobayashi & Flying Mimi Band)
Coconuts High (1981)
Nuts, Nuts, Nuts (1982 • Izumi “Mimi” Kobayashi)
Tropicana (1983)
Jam Trip – Urusei Yatsura – うる星やつら Vol.4 (1985 • Mimi Izumi Kobayashi, Fumitaka Anzai, 馬詰のりあき & ザ・スクラッチ)
iK.i (1989 • Izumi Kobayashi)

References and notes

BARKS — Izumi Kobayashi interview, 2018. Firsthand account of childhood lessons, dance-band work, Hammond studies, military-base engagements, ASOCA, Nakamura tour, and CBS/Sony departure. (Interview)
Tokyo’s Coolest Sound — Izumi Kobayashi interview, November 2, 2020. Details Togashiki recruitment, ASOCA personnel, EastWest victory, Mashita involvement, first single, and Flying Mimi Band formation. (Interview)
MANTANWEB — Izumi Kobayashi interview, December 5, 2021. Corroborates the Nakamura tour, Sony contract, unfinished album sessions, and transfer to Phonogram. (Interview)
CDJournal — Izumi Kobayashi biography. Birth date and birthplace, Tokyo College of Music piano studies, 1976 ASOCA victory, and 1977 Mimie-Chan Super Band debut. (Biography)
Disk Union — Izumi Kobayashi discography. Confirms the 1977 CBS/Sony single “My Beach Samba” (06SH-199) and subsequent Phonogram issues. (Singles catalog)
Universal Music Japan — Orange Sky – Endless Summer. Confirms the 1978 debut, original track sequence, and 2021 remaster. (Label documentation)
Ticro Market — Orange Sky original LP. Philips S-7039, 1978 pressing, and Flying Mimi Band personnel, including saxophonist Yasuaki Shimizu. (Original LP documentation)
CDJapan — Orange Sky reissue. Identifies March 5, 1978, as the original release date. (Release chronology)