Search - Sadao Watanabe :: Rendezvous

A seductive, sensual, and sensative recording

12/22/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"this is some of sadao watanabe's best work....although sadao doesn't play a lot of notes....he plays his notes with grace and mellowness....the rhthym section is great...nice textures...and of course roberta flack is always superb...next to sadao's "fill up the night", this is one of his best pieces of work."

There are just some albums that you keep going back to......

Michael Braun | San Antonio | 02/03/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of them. The wonderful sound and simplicity are simply magnificent. I often sit on the porch and put this CD on as the sun is going down, timing to hopefully hear Roberta Flacks incredible rendition of "If I'm Still Around Tomorrow" as the sun slips below the horizon. Of the literally thousands of CD's I have amassed over the years if I had to choose only 5, this would be one of them."

Firm favourite

Olukayode Balogun | Leeds, England | 10/27/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The sax man from Japan was a firm favourite back in the day among my fellow college jazz club members and I, and this 1984 release is still my favourite album of his. It was produced by percussionist extraordinaire, Raph MacDonald (and co-produced by William Eaton & William Salter) and it's worth mentioning that Grover Washington, Jr had an album produced by these same cats the same year, called Inside Moves. Many of the same players appeared on both albums including Ralph MacDonald on percussion of course, (with someone called Anthony MacDonald also on percussion), Marcus Miller on bass & Yamaha DX-7 synthesizer, Richard Tee on Fender Rhodes and Eric Gale on guitar. Both albums inevitably have a very similar vibe. Watanabe's alto had a unique and immediately identifiable sound all of its own though and this album had one other difference in that it featured Steve Gadd on drums on all the tunes (he only played on one on Washington's album) and Barry Eastmond on synthesizer on one other song.



But the album is lifted over and above many of that time by the appearance of the legendary Roberta Flack on "If I'm Still Around Tomorrow" and "Here's To Love", two beautiful ballads written by MacDonald and Salter. It's 80s smooth jazz with a dash of soul; nothing too left field and very easy on the ears. A classic."