Later albums like “Mobo Club” and “Mobo Splash” are more experimental. The funky and bright sounding “To Chi Ka” is probably one of Kazumi’s better known early releases. Throughout the eighties Kazumi released several jazz-rock albums.

In 1979, he formed an all-star band with some of Japan's leading studio musicians, and recorded the fusion masterpiece “Kylyn”. Kazumi released his first album in 1971, and quickly showed his great potential on the fretboard. He learned to play guitar from Sadanori Nakamure, one of Japan's master guitarists. Kazumi Watanabe (born on October 14, 1953) is a jazz and jazz fusion guitarist, from Tokyo, Japan. Gorman 'Crystalline Structure Moon' © 1996-2013,, Inc.

I haven't bothered to pick it up on CD, because even with the addition of a keyboardist, the music was uninspired and lackluster.worth 3 stars at best.but again, THIS album, the ORIGINAL 'Spice of Life' deserves 10 stars on a scale of 1-5 stars!!! An excellent piece of work!!! – from ***** A masterpiece of Fusion for the'80s and today!!! DecemBy & © D. An incredible album!!! On a scale of 1-5 stars, this album deserves 10 stars!!! I also agree with other reviewers that the sequel album 'Spice of Life Too' was a weak and disappointing follow-up to this superb album. His blistering hot guitar work shines with a knowledge of American culture while he slips in a definite Japanese flavor in his music.sometimes subtle, sometimes blatant.

Watanabe is a tremendous guitar talent who is too often overlooked. It was a pure delight to see this man keep fusion alive with a mixture of rock, the hard-driving beats and rythms of the '80s which kept the music current in its time and updated the sound that had once been the property of the '70s.and of course, the jazz influence is solid throughout this recording. By the time Kazumi Watanabe expanded beyond jazz to join the fusion movement, it was the '80s and fusion had all but died in The States. Watanabe on all guitars & guitar synths, fantastic bassist Jeff Berlin and Bill Bruford who was the drummer for the classic rock band Yes. Kazumi Watanabe ‎- The Spice Of Life - 1987 - Polydor K.K.

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