*indicates album in my collection
Tatsuhiko Arakawa
(see Arakawa Band)
Masato Honda
(with T-Square from 1991 to 1997. Also with Four of a Kind)
Growin' (1998)*
Carry Out (1999)
Real-fusion (2000)*
Illusion (2000)*
Cross Hearts (2001)*
What is Fusion (2001)*
The Best and More (2002)
Crowded Colors (2003)*
Assemble a Crew (2004)*
With Voice of Elements: Masato Honda with Voice of Elements (2006)*
Across the Groove (2008)*
The Best and More II (2008)
Solid State Funk (2009)*
Saxes Street (2015)
Toshiyuki Honda
(本多俊之, born April 9, 1957, Tokyo) is an alto/soprano saxophonist, flutist and composer. He is known for his innovative and boundary-pushing approach to music, which has earned him a reputation as one of the leading figures in the Japanese avant-garde jazz scene.
Honda's father was bassist and jazz critic, Toshio Honda, and Honda himself began playing the saxophone at a young age. He studied at the Tokyo College of Music and later at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. After returning to Japan in the early 1980s, he quickly established himself as a leading figure in the Japanese jazz scene.
Honda's music is characterized by its technical brilliance, emotional intensity, and willingness to experiment. He has recorded in a wide range of styles, including avant-garde jazz, fusion, and traditional Japanese music. He has also collaborated with many notable musicians, including Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, and Herbie Hancock.
Honda is also a successful composer and record producer. He has focused on writing music for film, television, and theatre since the 1990s. He has also produced albums for many other artists.
Honda is a highly respected figure in the Japanese music world, and his influence can be heard in the work of many younger musicians. He continues to perform and record, and he remains one of the most exciting and innovative jazz musicians working today.
This discography only includes Toshiyuki Honda's J-Fusion recordings
Burnin' Waves (1978)*
Opa! Com Deus (1979)*
Easy Breathing (1980)*
Toshiyuki Honda and Burning Waves: Spanish Tears (1980)*
Toshiyuki Honda and Burning Waves: Boomerang (1981)
Shangri-La (1982)
Toshiyuki Honda and The New Burning Wave: September (1983)
Dream (1983)*
Modern (1984)
Day Dream (1986)
As Toshiyuki Honda Radio Club: Radio Club (1987)
As Toshiyuki Honda Radio Club: Gadis : Marusa No Onna 2 (1987)
As Toshiyuki Honda Radio Club: Something Coming On (1988)*
As Toshiyuki Honda Radio Club: Touhou memoirs (1989)
As Toshiyuki Honda Radio Club: Chameleon (1990)
Foot Print (1990)
As Toshiyuki Honda Radio Club: Live Chameleon (1991)
Relax (1991)
Reed My Lips (1992)
Cool Jewel (1994)
Jiro Inagaki
Jiro Inagaki and The All-Stars: This Is Jazz-Rock (1968)*
Jiro Inagaki and Soul Media: Jazz Rock ‘Out’ (1970)*
Jiro Inagaki and Soul Media: Woodstock Generation (1970)
Jiro Inagaki and Soul Media: Head Rock (1970)
Jiro Inagaki and Soul Media: Wandering Birds (1971)
Steve Marcus and Jiro Inagaki: Something (1972)
Jiro Inagaki and His Soul Media with Yasushi Sawada: Dock of My Mind (1972)
Jiro Inagaki and His Soul Media with Yasushi Sawada: Dosojin (1972)
Jiro Inagaki and Big Soul Media: By The Red Stream (1973)
Jiro Inagaki and His Soul Media: In The Groove (1973)*
Jiro Inagaki and Soul Media: The Underground Rulers (1973)
As Soul Media: Funky Stuff (1975)*
Jiro Inagaki and Chuck Rainey Rhythm Section: Blockbuster (1978)
As Soul Media: Memory Lane (1980)
Jazz Rock Legend (2013)*
Takeshi Itoh
(saxophonist with T-Square from 1977 to 1990, and again from 2000 to present)
Dear Hearts (1984)*
El Seven (1987)*
T.K. (1988)*
Visions (1992)
T.K. LA (1993)
Groove Island (1994)
T.K. Covers (1995)
T.K. Breeze (1996)
Love (1997)
Scare Headline (1997)*
Double Circle (1999)
Turn Over (2000)
T.K. Adagio (2002)*
Mellow Madness (2007)*
Kazuki Katsuta
(saxophonist with Dimension)
Kazuki Katsuta (2014)
Visualize (2016)
Osamu Koike
(member of Source)
Inside (1999)
Diamond Love (2000)
The New York Quartet (2001)
Love (2001)
Malta
(real name Maruta Yoshiaki)
Malta (1983)*
Sweet Magic (1984)
Summer Dreamin' (1985)*
Sparkling (1986)
High Pressure (1987)
My Ballads (1987)
Obsession (1988)*
My Hit and Run (1988)
Sapphire (1989)
Face to Face (1989)
My Favorites (1989)
Emmision (1990)
Excelsior (1991)
Cocage (1992)*
My Soprano (1993)
Felicia (1994)
When You Wish Upon A Star (1994)
Sparkling (1995)*
UK Underground (1996)
Cinematrix (1997)
Apasionado (1998)
One More Chance (2001)
Manhattan in Blue (2004)*
Malta de Chopin (2010)
Hidehiko "Sleepy" Matsumoto
(died in 2000)
Rio Manhattan (1981)
Kohsuke Mine
(saxophonist with Native Son)
Sunshower (1976)
Takahiro Miyazaki
(saxophonist with T-Square from 1998 to 2000)
Nostalgia (2006)
Takeru Muraoka
Rock Joy In Sax (1971)
Takeru Muraoka and His New Group: Soft Landing (1978)*
Satoshi Nakamura
Satoshi Nakamura and Splaash: Splaash (1979)
Ami Nakazono
(female saxophonist)
The Real (2018)
Make It Happen! (2016)*
Akira Sakata
Tacology (1987)
Mooko (1987)
Yasuaki Shimizu
Get You! (1978)
Far East Express (1979)
Berlin (1980)
IQ 179 (1981)
Kakashi (1982)
Hidefumi Toki
(died 2021)
Naoya Matsuoka/Hidefumi Toki: Pacific Jam (1980)
Hidefumi Toki and Temps: Captain Tsubasa (1985)
1:00 Am (1988)
Takao Uematsu
(Has worked with Terumasa Hino, Motohiko Hino, Takeshi Inomata, Kiyoshi Sugimoto and Kasumi Watanabe)
Straight Ahead (1977)
Sadao Watanabe
(渡辺 禎雄, Watanabe Sadao, February 1, 1933) is a Japanese jazz musician who plays alto saxophone and sopranino saxophone. He is known for his bossa nova recordings, although his work encompasses many styles, with collaborations from musicians all over the world.
Watanabe was born in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. He began playing the alto saxophone in high school, and after graduating in 1952, he moved to Tokyo to pursue a career in music. He quickly established himself as one of the leading jazz musicians in Japan, and in 1962, he moved to Boston to study at the Berklee College of Music.
After graduating from Berklee in 1964, Watanabe returned to Japan and continued to perform and record. He released his first album, "Sadao Watanabe," in 1965. In 1967, he formed the Sadao Watanabe Quartet, which became one of the most popular jazz groups in Japan.
Watanabe's music is known for its melodicism, groove, and eclecticism. He has recorded albums in a wide range of styles, including bossa nova, jazz funk, and fusion. He has also collaborated with many notable musicians, including Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Antônio Carlos Jobim.
Watanabe has received numerous awards for his music, including the Medal with Purple Ribbon from the Japanese government in 2003. He is also a member of the DownBeat Hall of Fame.
In addition to his music career, Watanabe is also a successful photographer and author. He has published several books of photography, and he has written a number of books about jazz and music.
Watanabe is still active today, and he continues to perform and record. He is one of the most respected and influential jazz musicians in Japan, and his music has been enjoyed by fans all over the world.
This discography only includes Sadao Watanabe's J-Fusion recordings
My Dear Life (1977)*
California Shower (1978)*
Morning Island (1979)*
How’s Everything (1980)*
Orange Express (1981)*
Fill Up The Night (1983)*
Rendezvous (1984)*
L.A. Sunset [Compilation] (1985)*
Maisha (1985)*
Good Time For Love (1986)*
Birds Of Passage (1987)*
Elis (1988)*
Front Seat (1989)*
Selected [Compilation] (1990)*
Sweet Deal (1991)*
Earth Step (1993)*
Go Straight Ahead ‘n Make a Left (1997)*
Viajando (1998)*
New Best One [Compilation] (1999)*
Sadao 2000 (2000)*
Just A Touch (2001)*
Wheel Of Life (2003)*
One For You – Sadao and Bona Live (2006)*
Super Best [Compilation] (2007)*
Deluxe [Compilation] (2008)*
Sadao 2019 Live At Blue Note Tokyo (2019)
Mabumi Yamaguchi
Mabumi Yamaguchi Quartet: After The Rain (1976)
Mabumi Yamaguchi Quartet: Leeward (1978)
Mabumi (1981)
Regalo (1996)