Mobo Splash – Kazumi Watanabe – LP – Pre Owned Vinyl (Arrives in 14days)

Kazumi Watanabe’s *Mobo Splash* captures a moment when jazz fusion was shedding its excess and finding a leaner, sharper edge. A virtuoso guitarist who came up through Japan’s fertile jazz scene, Watanabe uses this album to stretch beyond pure technique and into something more architectural: melodies are cleanly drawn, rhythms are restless, and every solo feels like part of a larger design rather than a detour.

You’ll hear the precision of Western jazz-rock fused with the melodic sensibility that runs through so much Japanese fusion of the 1980s. The band locks into intricate grooves that leave plenty of air around the notes, letting Watanabe’s tone—bright, articulate, and never showy for its own sake—cut through with real clarity. Synth textures and nimble bass work add a modern sheen without overwhelming the core interplay.

For collectors, *Mobo Splash* is a snapshot of a guitarist at the height of his curiosity, balancing accessibility with genuine risk-taking. It’s the kind of record that rewards close listening on a good system: subtle dynamic shifts, tight ensemble work, and solos that reveal new turns each spin. If your shelves lean toward jazz, fusion, or Japanese pressings, this is a quietly essential addition.

Track List:
A1 – アフタヌーン・イン・ザ・パーク = Afternoon In The Park – 3:41
A2 – スプラッシュ = Splash – 3:21
A3 – 十六夜 = Izayoi – 3:15
A4 – 時には文句も = Sometimes We Say Monk – 3:41
B1 – クライシス III = Crisis III – 3:18
B2 – 瓢箪こまねずみ = Gourd-Top-Mouse – 5:09
B3 – シナプス = Synapse – 5:13
B4 – 師走はさすがに忙しい = Busiest Night – 3:24