The 76-year-old is in his 58th year playing the sax. He recently took part in the Montreal International Jazz Festival for the first time.
The Tochigi Prefecture native demonstrated his popularity and proficiency in playing the instrument before an audience of about 400 who showed their approval every time he finished a tune.
"Music keeps me alive," Watanabe said in an interview. "That's why I want as many as possible to listen to my music."
Long-winded: Jazz great Sadao Watanabe is interviewed recently in Montreal. Kyodo Photo
He said his physical strength may be on the wane, but he remains unchanged from his younger days in trying to better his performance. He still tours both at home and abroad.
Watanabe said he doesn't mind playing in the large hall where the jazz festival was held, but he prefers small venues such as nightclubs.
He likes a venue where he can touch knees with the audience because "I feel I meet" music lovers.
Watanabe went to Berklee College of Music in Boston in 1962 to study jazz theory and other aspects of the genre, and returned home three years later.
He now prides himself on "establishing the foundation" for current jazz and pop music in Japan.
"Nobody really knew anything about American jazz at the time," he said. "There were hardly any records."
Watanabe recently had a chance in New York to listen to a record he made when he was young and was shocked to find a powerful performance.
"I took a renewed look at myself," he said.
He wants young Japanese, especially those aspiring to become musicians, to "readily go abroad and promote interaction with foreigners." [rc]
(C) The Japan Times
July 28, 2009
CANADA: Sax great Watanabe still hot, but mellow
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TOKYO, Japan / The Japan Times / July 28, 2009
By Yoshihisa Kobayashi, Kyodo News
MONTREAL (Kyodo) Renowned jazz saxophonist Sadao Watanabe says the music still keeps him going even though his energy is not what it used to be.
The 76-year-old is in his 58th year playing the sax. He recently took part in the Montreal International Jazz Festival for the first time.
The Tochigi Prefecture native demonstrated his popularity and proficiency in playing the instrument before an audience of about 400 who showed their approval every time he finished a tune.
"Music keeps me alive," Watanabe said in an interview. "That's why I want as many as possible to listen to my music."
Long-winded: Jazz great Sadao Watanabe is interviewed recently in Montreal. Kyodo Photo
He said his physical strength may be on the wane, but he remains unchanged from his younger days in trying to better his performance. He still tours both at home and abroad.
Watanabe said he doesn't mind playing in the large hall where the jazz festival was held, but he prefers small venues such as nightclubs.
He likes a venue where he can touch knees with the audience because "I feel I meet" music lovers.
Watanabe went to Berklee College of Music in Boston in 1962 to study jazz theory and other aspects of the genre, and returned home three years later.
He now prides himself on "establishing the foundation" for current jazz and pop music in Japan.
"Nobody really knew anything about American jazz at the time," he said. "There were hardly any records."
Watanabe recently had a chance in New York to listen to a record he made when he was young and was shocked to find a powerful performance.
"I took a renewed look at myself," he said.
He wants young Japanese, especially those aspiring to become musicians, to "readily go abroad and promote interaction with foreigners." [rc]
(C) The Japan Times
The 76-year-old is in his 58th year playing the sax. He recently took part in the Montreal International Jazz Festival for the first time.
The Tochigi Prefecture native demonstrated his popularity and proficiency in playing the instrument before an audience of about 400 who showed their approval every time he finished a tune.
"Music keeps me alive," Watanabe said in an interview. "That's why I want as many as possible to listen to my music."
Long-winded: Jazz great Sadao Watanabe is interviewed recently in Montreal. Kyodo Photo
He said his physical strength may be on the wane, but he remains unchanged from his younger days in trying to better his performance. He still tours both at home and abroad.
Watanabe said he doesn't mind playing in the large hall where the jazz festival was held, but he prefers small venues such as nightclubs.
He likes a venue where he can touch knees with the audience because "I feel I meet" music lovers.
Watanabe went to Berklee College of Music in Boston in 1962 to study jazz theory and other aspects of the genre, and returned home three years later.
He now prides himself on "establishing the foundation" for current jazz and pop music in Japan.
"Nobody really knew anything about American jazz at the time," he said. "There were hardly any records."
Watanabe recently had a chance in New York to listen to a record he made when he was young and was shocked to find a powerful performance.
"I took a renewed look at myself," he said.
He wants young Japanese, especially those aspiring to become musicians, to "readily go abroad and promote interaction with foreigners." [rc]
(C) The Japan Times
