Yellow Magic Orchestra - Live at Greek Theater (1979)

Tracks:
01 - Behind the Mask
02 - Cosmic Surfin
03 - Rydeen
04 - 1000 Knives
05 - Tong Poo

Line-up:
Ryuichi Sakamoto - Keyboard
Akiko Yano - Keyboard
Yukihiro Takahashi - Drums
Haruomi Hosono - Bass
Kazumi Watanabe - Guitar
Hideki Matsutake - Synthesizer

Katsumi Watanabe - Monday Blues (1974)

To call Monday Blues - Katsumi Watanabe's 1974 album - , one of the greatest renditions ever recorded in the history of guitar jazz, is certainly not a critic extravagancy. This fabulous recording, overlooked by some, yet unknown to the majority, has everything a casual listener wants: a profound sense of coolness and pace, underlined by the outstanding musical dialogues between Watanabe's exciting solos and Hidefumi Toki's sax playing.
by Miguel Patrício in Improvied Solo

Styles:
Hard-Bop

Tracks:
01 - Monday Blues (07:58)
02 - A Child Is Born (02:10)
03 - Good Vibes (08:35)
04 - On The Horizon (10:29)
05 - Round Midnight (06:03)
06 - Here's That Rainy Day (01:54)

Line-up:
Katsumi Watanabe : Guitar
Hidefumi Toki : Alto Sax, Soprano Sax
Humio Itabashi : Piano
Motohiko Hino : Drums
Tsutomu Okada : Bass

Shigeharu Mukai - Favorite Time (1976)

Who would guess that Shigeharu Mukai's - one of the best japanese trombonists ever - first and most important influence was John Coltrane's stellar sounds? It seems that Favorite Time, his third album as a band-leader, is not a mere academic tribute to Trane's oeuvre, but it's mainly a sincere musical approach to the master's teachings. Constantly learning and musically inteligent, Mukai's Quintet re-works many of Trane's masterpieces (e.g: Afro-Blue, Impressions, In a Sentimental Mood etc.) and gives them a new polished touch. Finally, it must be said that any jazz listener will notice not only Shigeharu Mukai's undisputable trombone skills, but also the superb, almost legendary, rendition of Katsumi Watanabe in the guitar.
by Miguel Patrício in Improvised Solo

Style:
Post-Bop
Modal

Tracks:
01 - Afro Blue (11:15)
02 - Old Folks (03:31)
03 - Autumn Leaves (06:36)
04 - Impressions (08:39)
05 - In A Sentimental Mood (04:38)
06 - Stella By Starlight (04:53)

Line-up:
Shigeharu Mukai: trombone
Katsumi Watanabe: guitar
Fumio Itabashi: piano
Hideaki Mochizuki: bass
Oliver Johnson: drums