3 Oct 2020

Sadao Watanabe: Naturally

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Natural

Sadao Watanabe Naturally

— It’s not the first time that Sadao Watanabe ventures into Brazilian music. Actually, the sympathetic saxophonist from Japan has been playing Brazilian (influenced) music for many many years. He was born on February 1st, 1933, in a place called Utsunomiya, the prefectural capital city of the Tochigi Prefecture in the northern Kantō region of Japan. Or the easy way: some 125 km (78 miles) north of Tokyo. In 1962, the charismatic jazz musician moved to Boston, USA, to study music at Berklee. There he brought his unique sound on the alto sax to perfection. Mr. Watanabe has a most friendly and relaxed, sunny sound on the alto, fragile as silk. He also sounds great on the flute and sopranino sax (one of the smallest saxophones, sounding one octave higher than the alto). But it’s on the alto that he has his own recognizable sound. In the US he performed and recorded with a variety of fusion jazz musicians. Meanwhile Mr. Watanabe recorded albums performing his beloved Brazilian music:

  • Elis (1988), an impressive tribute to Elis Regina, with the late great Nico Assumpção on bass, Cesar Camargo Mariano (keys) and Heitor TP (guitars), among others;
  • Bossa Nova Concert (1989), recorded in 1967, Tokyo, with his Japanese band and string orchestra;
  • Made in Coracão (1990), a beautiful album with co-leader Toquinho;
  • Viajando (1998), with Cesar Camargo Mariano (keys) and Romero Lubambo (guitars) among the accompanists;
  • Minha Saudade (2000), a live concert with Brazilian musicians, David Finck (bass), and the Tokyo Symphony Chamber Orchestra;
  • Outra Vez (2013), with (among others) Swami Jr (guitars), Fabio Torres (keys), Paulo Paulelli (bass); and
  • Naturally (2015).

For the recording of Naturally (at the Visom Studios in Rio de Janeiro), Sadao Watanabe chose some of Brazil’s fantastic musicians to accompany him: Jaques Morelenbaum (cello), Lula Galvão (guitar), Itamar Assieri (piano), Alberto Continentino (bass), Paulo Braga (drums), and Sidinho Moreira (percussion). The music is, of course, performed with many Brazilian influences. The repertoire consists of mostly originals in which Sadao Watanabe shows his knowledge of Brazilian music. It all sounds very natural…

On the opening track, “Naturally,” we hear exactly who Sadao Watanabe is, the song is one hundred percent his signature sound, both sound wise as composition wise. The composition also features a nice piano solo by Itamar Assieri. “Junto com Você” is a beautiful bossa nova, featuring the cello of Jaques Morelenbaum. Lula Galvão gets his moment to shine on the lovely ballad “After Years.”  The percussion and drums dominate the samba “Na Lapa,” which has a reference to and finds a clear basis in “Chega de Saudade” (Jobim/De Moraes). “Carinhoso” (Pixinguinha/De Barro) is performed in a trio setting sax-cello-acoustic guitar. It’s one of the most beautiful moments on the album.

Sadao Watanabe once again proves on this CD that he knows what he’s doing when he lets his Brazilian heart speak. This is a wonderful album recorded by very dedicated musicians.

ALBUM INFORMATION

Sadao Watanabe
Naturally
Red River JVC Kenwood RRECD179 (2015)
Time: 52’25”

Track list (all songs by Sadao Watanabe, except where noted):

  1. Naturally
  2. Junto com Você
  3. After Years
  4. Bem Agora
  5. Water Colors
  6. Na Lapa
  7. Carinhoso (João de Barro – Pixinguinha)
  8. Bird’s Song
  9. Spring
  10. Smile (Charlie Chaplin – John Turner – Geoffrey Parsons)