Naoya Matsuoka & Wesing / Fiesta Fiesta (original 1979)

A 1979 release by keyboardist Naoya Matsuoka, leading his own group Wesing. A landmark Japanese Latin-fusion album featuring an all-star lineup including Pecker, Kazumi Watanabe, Hidefumi Toki (R.I.P.), Shuichi “Ponta” Murakami, Eve, and Minako Yoshida. Highlights include the breathtaking high-speed Latin-fusion opener A1 “Paõ De Açúcar Part 1 – Delight”, the subtly dub-tinged reggae tune A3 “Fiesta Fiesta” featuring Eve on vocals, and the midnight-mellow B2 “Moonlight Sand”, with gorgeous electric piano and Minako Yoshida’s commanding presence. Six tracks of top-tier musicianship and breezy, uplifting fusion at its finest.