It must have been a hell of a year at the Berklee School Of Music in their jazz department – given that the record features work from young students/later greats who include Gary Burton on vibes, Graham Collier on bass, Sadao Watanabe on alto and flute, Mike Renzi on piano, Steve Marcus on soprano and tenor, Dusko Goykovich on trumpet, Mike Gibbs on trombone, and Mike Nock on piano! The set features originals from Gibbs, Goykovich, Burton, and Collier – plus young arranger Gene Adler. LP, Vinyl record album

A well-remembered fusion date from Japanese reedman Sadao Watanabe – and one of his first to get larger circulation with an American audience too! The set has Watanabe blowing sharp and strong on alto, soprano sax, and flute – and working alongside heavyweight American fusion giants – in a combo that includes Patrice Rushen on keyboards, Lee Ritenour on guitar, Ernie Watts on saxes, and Harvey Mason on drums! The style isn't nearly as smooth or tightly produced as in later years – and there's still a nice edge to the music throughout – some of those unusual tones that Sadao was developing in Japan in the early part of the 70s, set to creative tunes that also stretch out in both their solos and rhythms. The album was recorded live, which also probably explains the open quality of the sound – and titles include "Orange Bypass", "Just Crusin", "The Chaser", "Rapture", and "Someday In Suburbs". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime bossa sounds from one of the best Japanese jazz musicians of the 60s to bring the bossa overseas! EP features four tracks – "Long Night", "White Waves", "Girl From Ipanema", and "Fly Me To The Moon". 7-inch, Vinyl record

Jazzy bossa from 60s Japan – one of a few great albums made in the genre by saxophonist Sadao Watanabe, easily one of the best bossa jazz players in the east at the time! The style here is simple, subtle, and very much in the best spirit of similar records coming from the US – a kind of Getz-inspired groove that mixes Sadao's work on alto and flute with lightly tippling rhythms from a five piece backing combo on piano, guitar, bass, drums, and percussion. Watanabe's reeds have a nice kind of edge at this point in his career – a sound that's not nearly as sweet as Americans attempting this music, and which gives an almost earthy approach that comes through beautifully in the echoey production. Titles include "Bonita", "Dindi", "Mas Que Nada", "Man & A Woman", "She's A Carioca", "So Danco Samba", "Black Orpheus", and "Girl From Ipanema". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Sadao Watanbe's excellent late 60s bossa albums – beautifully rich, but mellow readings of bossa nova numbers – in a way that takes music that had already been introduced to Japan a few years earlier, and gives it even wider exposure with Sadao's wonderfully soulful, jazz-based approach! Sadao plays both flute and alto sax – and backing is from a small combo that mixes in Brazilian-styled guitar and percussion next to the piano from Masabumi Kikuchi and drums from Masahiko Togashi – who you'll know from other Japanese jazz of the time! Watanabe's reeds have a raspy, off-kilter quality that's almost more human than many Brazilian jazz efforts of the time – and titles include "O Grande Amor", "Felicidade", "Here's That Rainy Day", "Agua De Beber", "White Wave", "From Russia With Love" and "So Danca Samba". LP, Vinyl record album

Featuring Nico Assumpcao on bass, Paulinho Braga on drums, Heitor Pereira on guitar, Cesar Camargo Mariano on keys, Papeti on percussion, and Toquinho on guitar and vocals. LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful bossa nova from 60s Japan – groundbreaking work from the young Sadao Watanabe! Like one of his obvious influences, Stan Getz, Watanabe had a great role in bringing the bossa nova out of Brazil – taking a music that had already been introduced to Japan a few years before, and giving it even wider exposure with his wonderfully soulful, jazz-based approach. And although there were earlier Japanese bossa albums, this one stands out as one of the true classics – the Getz/Gilberto set of 60s Japan, although without the vocals of that Verve date. Sadao plays both flute and alto sax, and backing is from a small combo that mixes in Brazilian-styled guitar and percussion next to the bass and drums. Watanabe's reeds have a raspy, off-kilter quality that's almost more human than most Brazilian jazz efforts of the time – and titles include versions of "Song Of The Jet", "Felicidade", "Reza", and "Morning Of The Carnival" – plus some nice originals like "America" and "Cupid's Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic live set of spiritual soulful post-Coltrane jazz! The great reed player Sadao Watanabe is playing here with a group that includes some of the best Japanese jazz musicians of the past 30 years – Takehiro Honda, Terumasa Hino, Motohiko Hino, and Isao Suzuki, among others. The "Africa" in the title might imply a more rootsy recording – but the continent is represented mostly in spirit, and in the additional hard percussion that punctuates a number of tracks on the set. The real strength, though, is in the jazz playing – which is hard and focused, with none of the indulgences that crept into some of the Japanese players' work at this time. Truly one of the greatest Sadao Watanabe albums ever – and with 2LPs worth of excellent material! Titles include "Afro Talk", "Hip Walk", "Tanzania Yako", "Tanu Song", "Jambo Bwana", and "Saba Saba". LP, Vinyl record album

Haunting early work from Japanese reed legend Sadao Watanabe – an artist who makes the record way more than just a set of familiar ballads! True, the set's a bit more mellow than some of Watanabe's other work of the time – but his work on alto and flute really have this subtle sort of edge – a melancholy quality that's different than the way that American players of the period might have hit the music – and which shows just how much Watanabe and a few key players were transforming the style of the Japanese scene! Tracks are short, and the format is simple – but the record's got an understated elegance that's every bit the best side of Sadao in his early years. Titles include "Old Folks", "Spring Is Here", "My Foolish Heart", "They Say It's Wonderful", "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child", and "Once Upon A Summertime". LP, Vinyl record album

Great work from a very young Sadao Watanabe – playing alto sax lines against a moody backdrop of late nite orchestrations – a style that's quite different than the sound of his work from later 60s years! Yet even at this early age, Watanabe's clearly a great talent on his instrument – playing familiar tunes, but doing so with a bit of an edge – a "bite" in his tone that creates an oddly unsettling feel, and brings a much moodier sound to music that might otherwise come off with a sweeter style. LP, Vinyl record album

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. All of the players here are equally sensitive to his needs – and include Hiroshi Matsumoto on vibes, Yoshiaki Masuo on guitar, and Kazuo Yashiro on Fender Rhodes – on titles that include "Gary Outro Samba", "Tokyo Suite", "Bridge", "Fandango", and "Ritmo Sabroso". LP, Vinyl record album

A pivotal record in the career of this brilliant Japanese saxophonist – a set recorded in New York with a trio players from the American scene – done in a style that's even more freewheeling than most of Sadao Watanabe's previous work! Watanabe had always worked with unusual tones and phrasing from the start – but this album has him really stretching out on long long tracks – working on both soprano sax and flute, with Chick Corea on acoustic and electric piano, Miroslav Vitous on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums! The title track is an open-ended jam that takes up all of side one – and Watanabe balances things out with a bit of lyricism from time to time, showing him to be as rich in conception as the regular sort of reed players who might have worked with a trio like this. Titles include "Round Trip – Going & Coming", "Sao Paolo", and "Pastoral". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great setting for the reed talents of the young Sadao Watanabe – as the music of Burt Bacharach and The Beatles give him a fresh showcase for his sound! The Bacharach material is handled a bit like Watanabe's take on bossa tunes – with fuller backings, but a strong focus on his lyrical solos – and the Beatles numbers are maybe a bit more groovy, especially as they include some surprising tracks from the later years of the group! Sadao plays both soprano sax and alto – and the instrumentation includes drums from Fumio Watanabe, trumpet from Terumasa Hino, and even a bit of organ and electric harpsichord from Kazuo Yashiro and Yoshio Suzuki! Titles include "Magical Mystery Tour", "I Am The Walrus", "Reach Out For Me", "Trains Boats & Planes", "The Look Of Love", and "Blue Jay Way". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful early album from Sadao Watanabe – a Polydor session recorded before some of his better-known albums for Takt/Columbia, but done with a similar mix of soul jazz and bossa influences! Watanabe's horn has really sharpened up from his already-great earlier sides – and he's working with a sextet that also features trumpet and tenor alongside his own mix of alto sax and flute. The latter instrument is especially nice – used with a great deal of sensitivity at times, especially on some of the original compositions – and the album's a brilliant illustration of the great growth in Watanabe's music during the 60s – proof that the Japanese scene was ready to stretch away from any US or European influences. Titles include the originals "M&M", "Woman Talk", and "Lady Mako" – plus versions of Coltrane's "Naima" and Gary McFarland's "Train Samba" – and a cool modal take on "Chim Chim Cheree". LP, Vinyl record album

A hard-burning live set from the great Sadao Watanabe – still very much in his bolder, more spiritual style of the early 70s – despite a more fusion-styled look on the cover! The tracks are long, and Watanabe's work on reeds is really brilliant – informed and opened up by the work of Coltrane, yet voiced in that offbeat tone he brought to his music from his earliest days on record. The group's got a hell of a lot of power, too – with piano from Takehiro Honda, bass from Osamu Kawakami, and drums from Shinji Mori – three players who really propel the record with a soulful, modal vibe. Titles include "Masai Steppe", "Way", "Tanaznia E", and "Pagamoyo". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare recording from Charlie Mariano's "lost" years in Japan – an under-documented period of his career next to earlier American work and later 70s European fusion! At the time of the set, Charlie was living in Japan with (then) wife pianist Toshiko Akioshi – and opening up tremendously from a musical standpoint – exploring new sounds and new modes of expression that really took him a long way beyond the straighter jazz of his roots. This set has Charlie working with Japanese reedman Sadao Watanabe, in a session that features both players on alto sax, but also using folkloric flutes as well – mixing the crisper sax work with earthier, more organic tones that really make the album sound tremendous! This aspect of the record is featured on 2 long tracks – "God Has Mercy" and "Stone Garden Of Ryoanji" – both of which were written by Mariano, and which have a wonderful "jazz meets world" feel – nicely balanced by the more traditional jazz numbers "I Thought About You" and "Iberian Waltz", the latter of which is still a relatively exploratory Mariano number that runs for over 16 minutes! LP, Vinyl record album

A surprising title – given that Sadao Watanabe was really stretching out a lot in the early 70s – but a fitting one too, as the set's a nice back-to-basics date from the amazing Japanese saxophonist! Sadao's working here with the Great Jazz Trio of Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – a swingingly solid combo who really make things cook, even in a small space – sounding almost better here when topped by Watanabe's sharp-edged alto lines than on their own albums of the time! Sadao also plays a bit of flute, which is really a treat – and titles include "Confirmation", "Episode", "Gary", "3:10 Blues", "Chelsea Bridge", and "One For C". LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool package of work – a set dedicated to the arrangements and writing of the great Oliver Nelson – served up by a host of very hip young students at Berklee School Of Music, some of whom would go on to become legends! The lineup includes Sadao Watanabe on alto and flute, Charles Owens on alto and flute, Gene Perla on piano and bass, Jimmy Mosher on alto and flute, Michael Mantler on trumpet, Hal McIntyre on tenor and clarinet, Alf Clausen on French Horn, Kent Carter on bass, and Erroll Burke on tenor. LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing, simply amazing – and light years ahead of the staid sounds that Chico Hamilton was cutting in the 50s! Hamilton's one of those players who has an amazing range to his music – almost all of it really incredible, as Chico always shifts things up over time – continually trying new things, and new modes of expression – even though, given his popularity, he could have just kept recording the same things year after year. This album is true testament to that propensity for growth in Hamilton's music – a wonderfully unbridled set that's filled with unusual rhythms, odd instrumentation, and even some of the first touches of psychedelic jazz to appear in the 60s! Players include Sadao Watanabe on alto and flute, Gabor Szabo on guitar, Jimmy Cheatham on trombone, and Willie Bobo and Victor Pantoja on percussion – all working together in a really wonderful range of modes from track to track – always groovy, but also pretty far-reaching and exploratory too! Titles include "El Moors", "Helena", "Strange", "Marcheta", "El Chico", and "Conquistadores". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost treasure from the great Gary McFarland – a never-heard live recording that appears here on vinyl for the first time ever! The live performance is wonderful – a small combo date in a Seattle nightclub in the mid 60s – with a very groovy group that features Sadao Watanabe on tenor and flute, Gabor Szabo on guitar, Eddie Gomez on bass, and Joe Cocuzzo on drums – all working at a level that's like some of Gary's best music of the time for Impulse and Verve! McFarland's vibes are wonderful throughout, and ring out beautifully next to the guitar – and the inclusion of Watanabe is a great surprise, and adds in some slight bossa elements to the music too. Titles include McFarland's classic "Pecos Pete", plus "Hard Day's Night", "Train Samba", "Morning Of The Carnival", "She Loves You", and "La Vie En Rose". Note that the performance was previously on a CD/DVD set – but the track "She Loves You" appears here for the first time! LP, Vinyl record album

Not a funky set in the 70s way – but a killer jam session from the Japanese jazz scene of the early 60s – one that's got a really hard-edged and soulful groove! The group's led by bassist Mitsuru Ono, and it features Sadao Watanabe on alto sax and Sleepy Matsumoto on tenor – both great players who really help the session cook! And although the album's billed as a "jam session", the tracks are a bit shorter than the usual set of that nature – more in the style of a Blue Note hardbop date, to which this album would be a great companion. Titles include "Now's The Time", "Doxy", "Rhythmaning", and "Blues In The Closet". LP, Vinyl record album

An early "poll winners" sort of date from Japanese drummer Hideo Shiraki – put together by Swing Journal Magazine, and featuring some great hardbop groovers! The feel here is just like a classic Prestige session from the same time – with searing horn solos on the top, and real Art Blakey-styled drum work from Shiraki – easily one of the greatest leaders on his scene at the time! Side one features a quintet – with Akira Fukuhara on trumpet and Akira Miyazawa on tenor – both blowing wonderfully on tracks that include "Walkin", "Moanin", "Dig", and "Doxy". Side two features a larger group – with Fukuhara again on trumpet, plus Sadao Watanabe on alto and flute, Hidehiko Matsumoto on tenor, and Yasuhiro Tomoto on trombone – blowing more hardbop on the tracks "Night In Tunisia", "What's New", "Bag's Groove", and "Reader's Choice". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Gabor Szabo's best records – a hip small combo session, featuring backup by Gary McFarland, Sadao Watanabe, Richard Davis, and Willie Rodriguez – an odd kind of lineup, but one that goes well with the offbeat grooves of the set! The overall sound has lots of touches of the McFarland Latinized rhythms of the time – but also stretches out with some of those great snakey guitar solos from Szabo – not nearly as extended or trippy here on other albums of the time, but in a really great way that makes for some tight, hip, mod little tracks! The set's one of Gabor's best from the 60s – and titles include "Flea Market", "Walk On By", "Gypsy Jam", "Gypsy '66", and "The Echo Of Love". The whole thing's kind of a compressed take on the sound of Gabor's Spellbinder album – if you know that one! LP, Vinyl record album

The intimate nature of the title is very apt on this one – as the album features spare duets between drummer Masahiko Togashi and other Japanese musicians – including the great Sadao Watanabe on flute, and either Masahiko Satoh and Masabumi Kikuchi on piano! The sound is open, and sometimes a bit free – but in a way that's very inventive, and never too overpowering – as Togashi finds a way to really keep things grounded, and work in the best collaborative spirit with each musician. A real standout on the East West catalog of the 70s – and titles include "Haze", "Fairy Tale", "Song For Myself", and "Song For My Friends". LP, Vinyl record album