Machiko Watanabe is a celebrated Japanese singer-songwriter whose career began in 1977. Over the decades, she has explored a wide range of musical styles, including jazz, Latin music, rock, classical, and standards.
Her music has also taken her beyond Japan, including performances connected to Brazil, Cuba, Russia, and the United States. Her powerful and expressive voice remains at the center of her musical identity.
Amor Jazz 4 ~coqui~
Released in April 2026, Amor Jazz 4 ~coqui~ is the fourth album in Machiko Watanabe’s Amor Jazz series.
Recorded in New York, the album brings together Japanese songs, Latin classics, jazz, and Caribbean rhythms.
The project was produced by flutist Rie Akagi, with extensive musical support from Puerto Rican trumpeter, arranger, and bandleader Luis “Perico” Ortiz.
The album includes songs such as “Coffee Rumba,” “O Sole Mio,” “Mas Que Nada,” “Cielito Lindo,” and Watanabe’s own classics “Blue” and “Kamome Ga Tonda Hi.”
The title coqui refers to Puerto Rico’s famous coquí frog, reflecting the album’s strong connection to Puerto Rican and Latin music.
Tracklist
Kamome Ga Tonda Hi
O Sole Mio
Coffee Rumba
Blue
Tasogare No Begin
Rappa To Musume
Cielito Lindo
Samui Natsu
Kuroi Orufe
Mas Que Nada
O Sole Mio (Machiko Solo) — Special Track
Blue (Spanish) — Special Track
Gaviota Solitaria (Spanish) — Special Track