Kaoru Abe was a Japanese avant-garde alto saxophonist. Self-taught at a young age, Abe performed with notables such as Motoharu Yoshizawa, Takehisa Kosugi, Yosuke Yamashita, Derek Bailey, and Milford Graves, although he generally performed solo. He was married to the author Izumi Suzuki, and was a cousin to singer Kyu Sakamoto. He was portrayed in Kōji Wakamatsu's film Endless Waltz by novelist and punk rock singer Kō Machida.
Abe was prolific, appearing almost every day to jazz spots and concerts. His library consists almost entirely of archival and live recordings, however he has recorded in a studio.
In his later years, Abe would begin playing different instruments. In 1976-1978 to be specific, were his years of most exploration. However, there have been instances of him playing harmonica in 1970-1971. He also played bass clarinet all the way throughout his career.
| Date of Birth | 27th March 1980 |
|---|---|
| Date of Death | 9th September 1978 |
| Age at Death | 1 Years |
| Zodiac Sign | Aries |
| Country | Japan |
| Birth Place | Akita Prefecture |
| Death Place | Nakano |
| Nationality | Japan |
| Citizenship | Japan |
| Reference | IMDB |
| Instruments | saxophone |
|---|---|
| Occupation | clarinetist, jazz musician, saxophonist |
