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Contents Celebrating 75 years of musical activity! Living legend Sadao Watanabe, who continues to perform on stage as an active saxophonist, releases his long-awaited studio recording album after two years! Even now, he performs live at a pace of about 70 shows a year throughout Japan, and this living legend continues to perform on stage as a leading saxophonist. This is the long-awaited new album from him. Following his previous album "PEACE," released in 2024, which was nominated for the MUSIC AWARD JAPAN 2025 Best Jazz Album and received high praise both domestically and internationally, this is a studio recording. Starting with the title track "BUT BEAUTIFUL," composed by Jimmy Van Heusen and sung by Frank Sinatra and others, the album includes 11 tracks, mainly ballads, from "EVERYTIME WE SAY GOODBYE" composed by Cole Porter and "YOU BETTER GO NOW" composed by Robert Graham, to of course Watanabe's own compositions "REMEMBRANCE" and "SIMPATICO." Similar to the musicians who participated in "PEACE," this recording features an impenetrable quartet consisting of Russell Ferrante (piano), keyboardist of the popular fusion band Yellowjackets; Ben Williams (bass), winner of the Monk Competition and considered one of the most important bassists in the contemporary jazz scene, having collaborated with Pat Metheny, Wynton Marsalis, and Jos? James; and Kazutetsu Takemura (drums), the drummer of Watanabe's regular Japanese quartet, in whom Watanabe places his complete trust. Tracklist: 01. BUT BEAUTIFUL 02. EVERYTIME WE SAY GOODBYE 03. I'LL BE AROUND 04. REMEMBRANCE 05. SIMPATICO 06. MAIS UM ADEUS 07. FIREFLY 08. PAGLIACCI 09. YOU BETTER GO NOW 10. TILL WE MEET AGAIN 11. POR TODA A MINHA VIDA (For All My Life) Produced by Sadao Watanabe Recording Date: Dec 2025 Sadao Watanabe (as) Russell Ferrante (p) Ben Williams (b) Ittetsu Takemura (ds) [Sadao Watanabe Profile] Born in Utsunomiya in 1933. After graduating from high school, he moved to Tokyo and participated in numerous bands, including Toshiko Akiyoshi's Cozy Quartet. After studying at Berklee College of Music and other institutions, he has become one of Japan's leading musicians, performing on the world stage with his unique style that transcends the boundaries of jazz. At the 2005 Aichi Expo, he fulfilled a long-held dream of collaborating with 400 children from around the world in a song and rhythm performance that transcended national borders and cultures, and these activities have since spread overseas. In April 2016, he represented Japan at "International Jazz Day 2016," hosted by former US President Obama and his wife at the White House. In March 2019, he performed at Blue Note NY with the "Sadao Watanabe Quartet," featuring Russell Ferrante (piano), Ben Williams (bass), and Kazutetsu Takemura (drums), captivating sold-out audiences every night. In the same year, he released the live album "SADAO 2019 Live at Blue Note Tokyo," which featured performances with Steve Gadd (drums), John Patitucci (bass), and Russell Ferrante (piano), and won the CD Shop Award for Best Jazz (Special Award). In December 2020, he released "Look for the Light," a double 70th-anniversary compilation album with tracks selected by himself. In 2024, he released the studio album "PEACE," which was nominated for the MUSIC AWARD JAPAN 2025 Best Jazz Album. His latest work to date is the live recording "HOPE FOR TOMORROW," released in 2025. This year marks his 75th anniversary in music. As a lifelong active musician who performs energetically not only in Japan but also overseas, his presence inspires courage and emotion in people of all ages around the world. Media Reviews and More: A living legend embodying the history of jazz, Sadao Watanabe, at 93 years old, performs live at a pace of approximately 70 shows a year throughout Japan. This year marks his 75th anniversary in music. Following his previous album, "PEACE," released in 2024, which was nominated for the MUSIC AWARD JAPAN 2025 Best Jazz Album and received high praise from various quarters, this is his first studio album in two years. Recorded with the same formidable quartet as "PEACE"?Russell Ferrante (Pf), Ben Williams (B), and Kazutetsu Takemura (Ds)?the album features a tracklist primarily consisting of ballads. (C)RS