Sadao Watanabe

A great little session from this excellent Japanese alto player - and although the title and track list might make you think that the record's a straight run of classic bop tunes, it's actually got a lot of Watanabe's modal groove and a very nice edgey feel that pushes it way past the regular Charlie Parker tribute. The groove's pretty modern, and although the tunes are all bop classics - the group (which includes trumpeter Terumasa Hino and pianist Kazuo Yashiro) make the record sound a lot different than the source material.

A record as evocative as its title - part of a great flowering of talent from Japanese reedman Sadao Watanabe at the end of the 60s! Sadao started his career out as a hell of a bopper, then moved into some sweet Brazilian modes in the 60s - but by the time of this record, he was really emerging with a great vision of his own - a way of opening up in these longer, more lyrical ways on alto, soprano sax, and flute - with styles that were very different than any American or European players of the time!
There's less of the echoes of the Japanese folk roots that Watanabe tried out a few years before - as his tone and timing is much more sophisticated, with a really tremendous sense of melody - and a way of bringing in rich feelings without ever getting too sentimental - almost at the best sort of soundtrack scoring level…

Sadao Watanabe has been disappointing on more than a few occasions. In fact, some of his more commercial, radio-oriented efforts have been quite forgettable. But when he's playing from the heart instead of pandering to commercial radio, Watanabe can be captivating. An adventurous "inside/outside" post-bop date employing Chick Corea (acoustic & electric piano), Miroslav Vitous (upright bass), and Jack De Johnette (drums), Round Trip is one of his finest accomplishments. There's nothing even remotely predictable about this CD, which ranges from the Celtic-influenced, Weather Report-ish "Pastoral" to the contemplative "Nostalgia" to the insistent, 20-minute "Round Trip: Going and Coming." Best known for his Charlie Parker-influenced alto playing, an especially inspired Watanabe sticks to the soprano sax and flute this time.

A really beautiful chapter in the career of reedman Sadao Watanabe - a batch of mostly original compositions, as you might guess from the title - and a double-length record that really showed an evolution of his talents! The sound is often highly lyrical - with Watanabe blowing alto, soprano sax, and flute in modes that are clearly informed by his bossa nova recordings of the late 60s, but which also spring forth in even more complicated styles - with echoes of French soundtracks, European jazz, and other sweet styles of the time. The group's a small one - with Yoshiaki Masuo on guitar, Kazuo Yashiro on acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes, Masabumi Kikuchi on piano, Yoshio Suzuki on bass, and Fumio Watanabe on drums.

Sadao Watanabe with The Great Jazz Trio - I'm Old Fashioned (1976) {2015 DSD Japan East Wind Masters Collection 1000}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 294 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 106 Mb
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© 1976, 2015 East Wind Music / Universal Japan | UCCJ-9167
Jazz / Mainstream Jazz / Neo Bop / Saxophone

Reissue with the latest DSD remastering. This album from 1976 is widely considered as one of the best, if not THE best, four-beat jazz albums by Sadao Watanabe, the legendary Japanese saxophonist. Watanabe went to New York, met with the original Great Jazz Trio – Hank Jones, Ron Carter and Tony Williams – before the super-group became well-known for its superb recordings.

Sadao Watanabe - Swiss Air (1975) {2014 Japan Jazz Collection 1000 Columbia-RCA Series SICP 4065}
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© 1975, 2014 Columbia / Sony Music Japan | SICP 4065
Jazz / Neo Bop / Saxophone

Reissue with the latest DSD remastering. Comes with liner notes. Sadao Watanabe Quartet for CBS Sony Japan from 1975. Sadao Watanabe (as,fl,sn) , Takehiro Honda (p) , Osamu Kawakami (b) , Shinji Mori (ds). Recorded at Montreux this powerful acoustic quartet session continues to reflects the African influences prevalent in Watanabes mid 70s sets "Mabali Africa" & "Kenya Ya Africa ". Over 5 original compositions Watanabe blows long and hard his playing a million miles from the fusion fluff he was to churn out in later years while Takehiro Honda nearly steals the show with his thunderous piano runs and vamps.

Sadao Watanabe - Front Seat (1989) {Elektra 9 60906-2}
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© 1989 Elektra / Warner | 9 60906-2
Jazz / Contemporary Jazz / Crossover Jazz / Smooth Jazz / Jazz Pop / Saxophone

Highly overlooked due to what some consider inconsistent albums that range from bop to pop, Sadao Watanabe is one of the jazz geniuses, especially in Japan. This cd is one of his best pop-type recordings. All songs are written by Sadao with the exception of the ones that feature vocals: one that was a duel collaboration with Robbie Buchanan and one other that was penned by Robbie Buchanan and Diane Warren.

Sadao Watanabe - California Shower (1978) {Flying Disk Japan VDP-5008 rel 1986)
XLD rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 201 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 88 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 33 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1978, 1986 Flying Disk / Victor Japan VDP-5008
Jazz / Fusion / Groove / Crossover Jazz / Saxophone / Flute

Sadao Watanabe (渡辺 貞夫, Watanabe Sadao) (born February 1, 1933) is a Japanese musician who plays the alto saxophone, sopranino saxophone and flute. He is known for his bossa nova recordings, although his work encompasses a large range of styles with collaborations from musicians all over the world. He has had 13 albums reach the top 50 billboard charts and 2 within the top 10. He has also had numerous albums reach number one on the jazz charts.