One of Sadao's first hit albums in Japan after he returned, homesick, in 1965, ignited that country's bossa nova craze. "I want to get back to basics, I want to play saxophone. I've started to love ...

The packed house that greeted Sadao Watanabe at NBew York's Blue Note in August, 2008 was a testament to both his popularity and the rarity of his visits to America. Now in his mid-70s, Watanabe is ...