Kazumi Watanabe, Minako Yoshida – Nowadays (2008/2016) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Kazumi Watanabe, Minako Yoshida – Nowadays (2008/2016)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 58:29 minutes | 1,06 GB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © WM Japan

Special duet featuring Japanese vocalist Minako Yoshida and jazz/fusion guitarist Kazumi Watanabe. Kazumi Watanabe has for the past 20 years been one of the top guitarists in fusion, a rock-oriented player whose furious power does not mask a creative imagination. Watanabe studied guitar at Tokyo’s Yamaha Music School and he was a recording artist while still a teenager. In 1979, he formed the group Kylyn and, in 1983, he put together the Mobo band. Several of his recordings have been made available by Gramavision and they show that he ranks up with Al DiMeola (when he is electrified) and Scott Henderson among the pacesetters in the idiom.

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Kazumi Watanabe – Live at Iridium (2016) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Kazumi Watanabe – Live at Iridium (2016)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:10:53 minutes | 1,61 GB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © WM Japan

Watanabe was invited in 2011 by the New York club Iridium to play there as part of the ‘Legendary Jazz Fusion Guitarists’ series. Watanabe began a search for younger bassist and drummer based in the US who would bring fresh ideas and energy, and chose Janek Gwizdala, originally from England, and Obed Calvaire who’s played with Wynton Marsalis, Mike Stern and the Clayton Brothers, among others.

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Kazumi Watanabe – GRACIM (2013/2016) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Kazumi Watanabe – GRACIM (2013/2016)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 49:10 minutes | 984 MB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © WM Japan

Special duet featuring Japanese vocalist Minako Yoshida and jazz/fusion guitarist Kazumi Watanabe. Kazumi Watanabe has for the past 20 years been one of the top guitarists in fusion, a rock-oriented player whose furious power does not mask a creative imagination. Watanabe studied guitar at Tokyo’s Yamaha Music School and he was a recording artist while still a teenager. In 1979, he formed the group Kylyn and, in 1983, he put together the Mobo band. Several of his recordings have been made available by Gramavision and they show that he ranks up with Al DiMeola (when he is electrified) and Scott Henderson among the pacesetters in the idiom.

(more…)

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Kazumi Watanabe, Mike Mainieri, Warren Bernhardt – Lotus Night (2011) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Kazumi Watanabe, Mike Mainieri, Warren Bernhardt – Lotus Night (2011)
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/96 kHz | Time – 00:59:08 minutes | 0,99 GB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Master, Official Digital Download – Source: Q0buz | © Warner Music Japan

Recorded live from Ginza, Tokyo in September 2010

Kazumi Watanabe is the indisputable #1 guitarist in Japan, voted Best Guiatrist in Swing Journal magazine a mere 31 years in a row! Although jazz is his preferred modus operandi Watanabe has also collaborated with Japanese legends like Ryuichi Sakamoto, Sadao Watanabe and the Yellow Magic Orchestra, bringing huge success at home and international recognition that led to him playing alongside Steps, the Brecker Brothers, Jaco Pastorius and Bill Bruford.

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Kazumi Watanabe – Jazz Impression (2009) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Kazumi Watanabe – Jazz Impression (2009)
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:05:20 minutes | 1,48 GB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Master, Official Digital Download – Source: Q0buz | © Warner Music Japan
Recorded: May 24-31, 2009 at Astro Studio and Sony Music Studios in Tokyo, Japan. DSD recording, mixing and mastering by Koji Suzuki, Sony Music Communications.

Watanabe celebrated his 40th year as a professional musician by recording a straight-ahead jazz album. His trusted trio includes two top jazz musicians — Yosuke Inoue on bass and Hiroyuki Noritake on drums. The 11 tracks represent Watanabe’s eclectic tastes and cover a wide range of the jazz spectrum, from bebop (‘Route 65,’ ‘Four On Six’) and standards to funk (‘Meteor’) to fusion (‘El Dorado’). The program even includes a free improvisation with his long-time associate and drummer Hideo Yamaki (‘Hot K’). Masahiro Fujioka and Masato Honda guests with their soprano saxophone on a few tunes.

Forty years after his debut, Watanabe shows has truly become one of the top jazz guitarists in the world. This is a wonderful jazz album with a fresh contemporary feel. Highly recommended for fans of jazz guitar!

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Kazumi Watanabe, Mike Mainieri, Warren Bernhardt – Lotus Night (2011/2016) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Kazumi Watanabe, Mike Mainieri, Warren Bernhardt – Lotus Night (2011/2016)
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/96 kHz | Time – 59:12 minutes | 0,99 GB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Master, Official Digital Download | Artwork: Front cover | © WM Japan

Kazumi Watanabe is the indisputable #1 guitarist in Japan, voted Best Guiatrist in Swing Journal magazine a mere 31 years in a row! Although jazz is his preferred modus operandi Watanabe has also collaborated with Japanese legends like Ryuichi Sakamoto, Sadao Watanabe and the Yellow Magic Orchestra, bringing huge success at home and international recognition that led to him playing alongside Steps, the Brecker Brothers, Jaco Pastorius and Bill Bruford.

(more…)

Read more
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