THE JAZZ IN M.E.E. MAGAZINE OCT 2016
by Sheryl Aronson & Mikey Adam Cohen
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Keiko Matsui… forever crafting the templates of her music…an artist who paints poetic melodies on the piano while combining her precise classical chops with the mystical sensual flavor of jazz, spiced with an overtone of a Japanese haiku spirit. As a true artist, she is always searching for new dimensions of expression. A deeply spiritual person, Keiko Matsui lives by allowing the divine to guide her. Once again, Keiko Matsui conjures divine music as she goes on a new musical odyssey on her acoustic album, Journey to The Heart. The musicians that join Keiko Matsui are: Carlitos Del Puerto – bass, Jimmy Branly – drums, Ramon Stagnero – guitar, Luis Quintero – percussion, Gregoire Maret – Harmonica, JP Mourão – additional guitar on Carnival. photos by Lori Stoll
by Sheryl Aronson & Mikey Adam Cohen Keiko Matsui spent the afternoon with us after a rehearsal for her new acoustic tour and we discussed her newest CD, A Journey to The Heart. She is no stranger to The Jazz In M.E.E. Magazine and graced the cover of the July 2013 issue. Keiko, you just received great news about your new CD, Journey to the Heart. What was the news?
The journey to the heart… the heart has a lot of meaning to me. I recalled my life and I realized I was sharing my whole life with everyone since I started my music career…so journey to the fan’s heart. Also the discovery of myself, so journey to inner self. The songs on the CD are extraordinary. Which one meant the most to you?
KEIKO MATSUI: There’s a song called “Butterfly”… when I was composing this composition, I was so deeply into the creation of it, I heard the noise of the pencil against the paper then realized I was crying. I was seeing the sunset and I also felt really happy/emotional. This was the first time I felt I needed to tell my daughter: ‘If I leave this earth, I want them to play this song for me.’
This new album is #1 on the Contemporary Jazz Chart Billboard. It’s only been out one week and suddenly boom, it hit #1.
Your heart seemed to have been filled with gratitude… you’re being a vehicle for creative expression here.
You talked to us last year about doing an all acoustic CD. You are always striving to create something different with each album. Why is that?
…so many layers of emotion too. I don’t name the song before the recording, but somehow when this melody came to me it was stuck in my head. (She sings a phrase from “Butterfly”) I first thought this is too simple…yet it’s sticking in my head…I just moved forward and recorded it.
KEIKO MATSUI:
KEIKO MATSUI: I have made a live album with an
Please talk about how you composed the music.
KEIKO MATSUI:
My friend, Art Good, a producer for the jazz tracks, told me I could use the piano at the Casino on Catalina Island, which is my favorite place. I stayed there for a few days and began composing – many melodies were born while I was there.
On this recording, you have a Latin American influence.
KEIKO MATSUI:
The musicians are from South America and are geniuses in their understanding of that genre of music. My daughter said, ‘Mom, this is such a happy album. What happened to you?’ This is the happiest, bright album among all my albums.
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electric band and did a tour, so I completed that era. I was looking for my next journey and formed my acoustic band with Carlitos Del Puerto and Jimmy Branly from Cuba..
KEIKO MATSUI: This song has lots and lots of light
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Can you talk more about some of the other songs on the CD?
KEIKO MATSUI:
“Journey to the Heart”, the title song…it’s like an epic. It has lots of drama with the music… like a floating stream heading out to the big ocean. “Havana Nights” is a very happy song. Rhythmic too. Because Carlitos and Jimmy are from Havana, I decided to name it “Havana Nights”. “Two Harbors” came to me when I was in Catalina. The song has a voyage kind of feeling. Recently, I was thinking that the environment surrounding oneself, cannot change but one always has the freedom to choose in life… all the details of how you want to feel. So two harbors…do you want to go in this direction or this direction? You are the Boss. You can choose. “Blue Rose” is a symbol of the miracle. There is a story that the blue rose didn’t exist before, but somehow it was created. When I heard this story, I loved it because of the symbol of the miracle. When I received this melody (again sings the melody) it sounded a little classical and had a great story telling orchestration. The style of this song is different because of the classical feel, no drums, no percussion, no guitar… just me and the string section.
THE JAZZ IN M.E.E. MAGAZINE OCT 2016
In the Fall Keiko will begin touring the United States more extensively. This mystical, poet of the keyboards will continue her journey through the cosmic world of her imagination and continue to delight her fans with the Matsui melodies of her soul.
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Keiko Matsui Journey To The Heart Aug. 2016 Shanachie Ent. Corp.