Primary Instrument: Sax, tenor
Wataru Uchida, a saxophonist and composer, was born in Yokohama, Japan. He moved to New York in 2000 and studied with Chico Freeman to achieve the “fat” sound that is the Chicago tenor player's trademark.
Wataru has ever performed at Birdland, Paul Recital Hall of Julliard School of Music, Jazz Standard, and Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York, as a guest soloist of Tokyo Swing Beats Jazz Big Band. He also performed at Museum of the City of New York, leading the best Japanese jazz performers living in New York on May 15, 2010. In 2008, Wataru recorded Blue Morpho, with New York-based Brazilian jazz giants such as Romero Lubambo, Helio Alvis, Nilson Matta, Cafe Da Silva, and Ze Mauricio. The album is dedicated to Baden Powell, the legendary Brazilian guitarist, of whom Wataru has been a big fan of since childhood.
Currently, Wataru is performing in New York with his band, featuring master acoustic guitarist David Acker.
