 thumb|watanabe at expo zaragoza 2008  (born february 1, 1933) is a japanese musician who plays the alto saxophone, sopranino saxophone and flute. he is known for his bossa nova recordings although his work encompasses a large range of styles with collaborations from musicians all over the world. ==early life==  born in utsunomiya, japan, sadao first began learning music at the age of 18. in 1962 he left japan to study at berklee college of music in boston. ==musical career==  he began performing professionally in 1953. by 1958 he had established himself as a world-class saxophonist having performed with leading musicians and quartets. ==other pursuits== in addition to his musical career, watanabe has also published six photography books in japan.sadao watanabe web site: biography , with photos ==personal life== watanabe is also a citizen of united states. he lives in los angeles, california. ==discography== ===as leader=== {|class="wikitable" |- ! column width= 6% | year ! column width= 35% | album title ! column width= 15% | label (catalog) ! column width= 44% | notes |- | 1961 || sadao watanabe || || |- | 1965 || sadao watanabe plays || || |- | 1966 || goin' home modern jazz album || || |- | 1966 || takt jazz jazz & bossa nova || || |- | 1967 || sadao watanabe & charlie mariano: iberian waltz || denon || with charlie mariano |- | 1967 || nabesada & charlie  || || |- | 1967 || bossa beat collection  || || |- | 1967 || jazz samba  || || |- | 1967 || my romance || || |- | 1967 || bossa nova '67 || || |- | 1967 || bossa nova concert || || |- | 1967 || music break || || |- | 1967 || encore!! jazz & bossa / sadao meets sharps & flats || || |- | 1968 || we got a new bag / sadao and charlie again || || |- | 1968 || sadao meets brazilian friends / sadao & brazilian8 || || |- | 1968 || sadao plays beatles and bacharach || || |- | 1969 || swing journal jazz workshop || || |- | 1969 || pastoral || || |- | 1969 || song book || || |- | 1969 || sadao watanabe live at the junk || || |- | 1969 || dedicated to charlie parker || || with terumasa hino, masanaga harada, fumio watanabe, kazuo yashiro |- | 1970 || sadao watanabe at montreaux jazz festival || || |- | 1970 || round trip || universe || with jack dejohnette, miroslav vitouÅ¡, chick corea |- | 1970 || collaboration quartet with masabumi kikuchi sextet || || |- | 1971 || paysages || || |- | 1972 || sadao watanabe || || |- | 1973 || open road'
1933_births Berklee_College_of_Music_alumni Galaxy_Records_artists Japanese_jazz_musicians Jazz_saxophonists Living_people Musicians_from_Tochigi_Prefecture People_from_Utsunomiya,_Tochigi Recipients_of_the_Order_of_the_Rising_Sun,_4th_class