Year : 1970
Label : Polydor
Genre : Jazz, Latin Jazz
Style : Contemporary Jazz, Bossa Nova
Debut album of the best known jazz guitarist outside Japan, recorded with a quartet formed by pianist Yuji Ohno, bassist Yoshio Suzuki & drummer Hiroshi Murakami, supported by arranger Norio Maeda. Ryo Kawasaki started young in the late sixties as member in the first incarnation of the Jiro Inagaki's Soul Media (1970-1971) and in the Takeshi Inomata's Sound Limited, two prominent prolific Jazz Rock formations in Japan during the early seventies. Settled in New York from 1973, he recorded several fusion albums to the eclectic styles exploring Rock 'N' Roll as well as Funk & Soul, Latin, Spanish folk (Flamenco) and even Indian music. He gained an international recognition when he joined the Gil Evans Orchestra from "Plays The Music Of Jimi Hendrix" album in 1974, originally planned with the legendary rock guitarist. Following, he become a sideman in demand for many jazz giants including Elvin Jones, Chico Hamilton or Cedar Walton. In the mid-80s, he turns to the electronic music in conceiving software musical for computers. As the title suggests "Easy Listening Jazz Guitar" consists of mainstream jazz orientation from Bossa to Pop Music including various pop cover songs of Burt Bacharach, The Beatles or The Mamas & The Papas and jazz standards by Henri Mancini, Jimmy Webb or Cole Porter.
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