Kaoru Abe

Biography
Has Influenced

Kaoru Abe was a Japanese jazz pianist, guitarist and saxophonist.

Kaoru Abe was a free jazz saxophonist, who was nearly unknown outside of Japan, and who generally played solo. During the 1970s, he recorded a string of albums for the Japanese record labels DIW (Live at Gaya, Vol. 1 - 10) and PFSD (Duo, 1971, Solo 1972 and Last Date 1978). Shortly before his death the quartet album 'Alda's Call' was recorded together with Toshinoro Kondo, Derek Bailey and Motoharu Yoshizawa.

He died of a drug overdose; his death was quickly romanticized in the Japanese jazz underground. He was married to the authoress Izumi Suzuki and starred in the movie 'Endless Waltz' of director Koji Wakamatsu. During his career Abe worked with musicians like Masayuki Takayanagi, Sabu Toyozumi, Aquirax Aida.