Saturday 23 April 2022

Kazumi Watanabe, Part 1 (1971 Infinite, 1975 Endless Way, 1977 Maduri, 1978 Concierto de Aranjuez, 1978 Kaleidoscope)

 










I haven't found an artist so unknown and prolific since James Vincent so long long ago.  He isn't quite as fantastically creative and original but he's a helluva composer in the trad. 70s fusion style we know and love so well and incredibly prolific, so much so that I had to divide his oeuvre into 4 parts each with 5-6 albums, I think 22 in total. Discography is here.

He did start slow in the 70s with the somewhat disappointing Infinite and Endless Way, too overloaded with extraneous improvisations in my opinion, as well as the way overplayed Concierto de Aranjuez which in comparison to other jazz performances/interpretations really leaves a lot to be desired.

But he fell into his own with Olive's Step which is in the next package (for some reason) and the brilliant, really outstanding from beginning to end Kaleidoscope LP.  

Maiden Voyage, from that one:



6 comments:


  1. Part 1

    https://www103.zippyshare.com/v/0UIXqAZB/file.html

    https://www.sendspace.com/file/vv1h3v

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks loads for sharing, perfect timing for me as I've only recently been discovering his music. Particularly like the version of Mirrors on his "Milky Shade" album along with the title track.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Just a note that the coverart posted for Concierto de Aranjuez, is for the Laurindo Almeida recording on the East Wind label.

    ReplyDelete
  4. PS: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hhv.de%2Fshop%2Fen%2Fitem%2Fkenji-omura-kazumi-watanabe-lee-ritenour-concierto-de-aranjuez-756116&psig=AOvVaw0t4rlsTWmQtnh-Xdi7qSbL&ust=1650996944383000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAwQjRxqFwoTCNj_0IXpr_cCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAN

    ReplyDelete