Search - Sadao Watanabe :: How's Everything

How's Everything is all that

Iron Man Hondo | Chicago Il. | 07/28/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"During the eighties Columbia Records signed Sadeo Wantanabe to their label. A label that already boast artists such as Herbie Hancock and Earth, Wind, and Fire. What were they going to do with this artist? Sadeo had been on the jazz curcuit for a while in the seventies, such to the point that jazz artist like Richard Tee, Dave Grusin, and Roberta Flack knew of him. Sadeo was in Japan for a concert and the excutives figured that they'd take a chance. Record a live album of a artist that only a few people had heard of. A big gamble to say the least. They recorded Sadeo live at Budukan. The gamble paid off. The music was so good that they just couldn't regulate it to one vinly disc. It made into a two album set. The first song released to American audience was "Nice Shot". It was at this time that I had actually been introduced to Sadeo Wantanabe. Part of the "late night listening" rotation, it got lots of playtime. This song had to have been infuenced by Grover Washington Jr. It sounded to much like him to the point that even my father thought it Grover. You had to know that Sadeo was good. I mean to have the best back ups in jazz, Eric Gale, Ralph McDonald, Richard Tee, among others to back you up. The most interesting thing about this album/c.d. is the reaction of the Japanese audience. They appaud after every musician finishes their solos. They were very much into the concert. In my opinion, the Japanese show a very deep appreciation for good music when they hear it.Especially jazz. The rest of this album/c.d. is just as good. There are a few songs that aren't so attractive, but this effort is very much worth the money. My only beef is that it (this album/c.d.) wasn't more readily availible in the U.S. With so much good music out there, why is it that we have to go overseas to get it here in the States? I hope that this changes soon. Anyway, this album is worth every penny and I highly recommend it. Especially if you're a big fan of jazz."

Sadao Watanabe live at Budokan, 1980

john brush | Surface Of The Sun , AZ | 12/20/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As I said in my review of Watanabe's "Selected", this was my strongest influence when I turned to NPR for refuge from commercial radio.



I used to listen to "Up Country" and break out in goosebumps.

When the cassette I had this on broke it was 20 years before I found another copy in any medium.



Amazon, when I became Internet aware, had no copy in any medium. For three years they teased me by offering to send me a copy when they got one in - as long as I sent them $65 first!



Patience, as usual, was rewarded.



He's smoother now, if that's even possible.

You can definitely hear the 70s funk influences, but they're not an annoyance."