Some great band playing on this video and Kazumi is playing a series I guitar. Marcus Miller on bass,  
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=wXx7W0Hxh1U#t=332s
 
jazzyvee

Nice video!  And great tone (and playing) on the guitar throughout!

Wow - that was awesome! I've been a long-time fan of Kazumi Watanabe - even saw him live at the Pit Inn in Tokyo when I was in high school (though unfortunately it was packed and I never got a clear view of the stage).

Found another one from many years previous - looks like the same guitar too!
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2kfKLFH1fI

WOW - this is why I love the Alembic forum.  Now if we can only get Markus an Alembic!!
 
Thanks
 
Stephen

So I always heard the rub on Series guitars was that they were too clean / hard to get distortion with, these KW videos not withstanding.  So I wondered, why not put an output gain boost on the power supply box for the S-electronics?  Dial up or down whatever you want, or was the idea you'd go right into and f2b ?
 
J o e y

I don't know what to think about that myth, Joey. I know that the low impedance does not react well with certain stomp boxes, especially germanium fuzz circuits. That said, my S1 has no problem driving a pair of small combos and they'll break up much the same as they do w/ a passive guitar (the closest parallel for me would be a P-90 SG). The high frequency content in a series guitar isn't as shrill as say the ice-pickiness that can plague strats and teles, but if you don't know how to dial it out, i guess that can be a turn-off too.

Interesting article that focuses on Jeff Berlin but gives some background info on Kazumi Watanabe:
 
http://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/1229210/blue-notes-jeff-berlin-and-kazumi-watanabe

Berlin is a bassist of extraordinary virtuosity who moves comfortably between the worlds of jazz and rock: he was once offered - and declined - the bass guitarist's slot in the heavy metal band Van Halen. He was an early exponent of the percussive slap bass style for which Miller - who once said he wanted to be the black Jeff Berlin - is known
 
Really? Never heard him slapping...

I think I remember him slapping on one of the Bill Bruford solo albums but can't say that for sure. The Marcus Miller quote though is pretty suspicious...

The song is Five G in the album One of a kind by Bruford.
This album is not solo album. Bruford is the band name.
 
Now Jeff Berlin is touring with Kazumi in Japan.
 
Eiji

Thanks for the info Eiji - I knew I wasn't imagining it!
 
When I was in high school a couple of my friends saw Spice of Life live in Tokyo - I can't remember if I was invited or just didn't go - we loved that first album with Kazumi Watanabe, Jeff Berlin and Bill Bruford! I think I was actually somewhat influenced by Jeff Berlin - and when I listen to my own Kazumi Watanabe albums like Tochika and MOBO II I am even more amazed!

 
Lovely tone.

Thanks for that jazzy! If you ever find the album Tochika, GRAB IT! Marcus Miller is awesome on it! The bass line on the tune he was playing in that clip (Liquid Fingers) is killer!