Customer Reviews

Moyo

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Moyo is a wonderful album for those new to Keiko Matsui, capturing her musical development for the past two decades, from smooth jazz to new age, and the emergence of a new style incorporating a wider range of ethnic influences as well as a willingness to record in more spontaneous settings.

Following her divorce last year from her personal and professional partner of more than twenty years, the pianist/composer began exploring new musical directions, a walk into the future punctuated with occasional glances into the past. The result is her first album of original work in two years, music that both looks back and looks ahead.

Her new direction finds Matsui borrowing from the African contemporary jazz scene, not only in compositions infused with African rhythms, but also in her choice of performing and recording mates, including the reigning grandfather of South African jazz, trumpeter Hugh Masekela, Angolan vocalist Waldemar Bastos, and Cameroonian bassist/singer Richard Bona. Matsui also seems to be trying to open up her performing by recording with live musicians in more spontaneous settings, rather than continuing to develop the carefully orchestrated synthesizer work for which she has long been known and at which she excels.

She hasn't abandoned that style altogether. You can find a couple of examples on Moyo, slower numbers based on piano and synthetic strings that will be pleasingly familiar to fans who have made her albums of the past seven to eight years commercial successes. Going back even further, Matsui calls on saxophonist Paul Taylor, a member of her touring and recording band in the mid-to late 90's, and Gerald Albright, who first recorded with Matsui in 1991, to help light up a few smooth jazz memories.

If you've never heard Matsui, Moyo would be a great place to start. If you've been a fan for years, you might find this album a marvelous retrospective.

I've been waiting for this release since Matsui first talked about it in her interview with Japanese-American news magazine show JATV News in Oct. 2006.

Now that it's out, I have to say that "Moyo" is a very interesting album. This is her first album in 20 years NOT to be produced by Kazu Matsui (her current marital status is somewhat ambiguous. In the letter she writes in the liner notes, she talks about changes in her life, but doesn't say anything about separation or divorce. At the same time, Kazu is MIA on her offical website & that's now copyrighted to her).

"Moyo" is largely based on her travels in South Africa (the word "Moyo" is not as Swahili isn't spoken in that country), thus there's a strong African favor on this disc. My main issue here is the number of guest musicians, esp. the horn players, which makes the album sound a little like her earlier, Pre-"Whisper From the Mirror" recordings. Some of her fans will be happy to hear that, but I'm one who likes her post-2000 recordings over her earlier material.

Nonetheless, "Moyo" is a good album. Highlights include the title track, "A Great Romance" (with some great albeit brief solos from South African guitarist Grecco Buratto), "When I Close My Eyes" (which reminds me of "Garden" from "Sapphire"), the highlife favored "After the Rain", & "Old Potch Road" (named after a major street in Soweto). The lone vocal track, "Um Novo Dai" is a song that has to grow on you. It's in Portuguese, but don't expect to hear samba, bossa nova, or even Cape Verdean-like music there. Matsui plays behind a string session in the closer, a great way to end the album.

Rather you love her pre-2000 recordings or her later new age/worldbeat material, there's something for all of her fans on this disc.

I have loved Keiko Matsui's music for years now and have attended many of her live shows. This album reminds me of her earlier jazzy works as opposed to the more recent "new age" style (although that was beautiful in its own way). This album is definitely a must have as it is a fine work of jazz showmanship and has many exciting world beats. Keiko produced this album herself and she did a masterful job. Great addition to any record collection.

I have become a Keiko Matsui fan, and for an old sixties hippy, that's a big statement. In fact, I will say that this lady's lovely piano melodies coupled with a cogent rhythm in many cases are very often the background music to my own artistic moments. I believe Keiko Matsui is the most talented artist I have discovered since the Beatles! This album offers fresh, new adventures, but always there are the gentle Matsui melodies, and the input of her talented, multi-dimensional friends. Keiko's music matters, it is creative but also beautiful, calming but also very alive. You can't buy better by any artist!

I am a Keiko Matsui fan since the days of Hiroshima. This CD is another one of Keiko's outstanding jazz creations. After listening to this CD I was breathless. I have no regrets purchasing "Moyo". Often jazz artists change their musical formula either too much or the other main complaint is lack of variety and not evolving enough musically. I think Keiko's CD has an excellent balance between the two. This CD is "HOT!" This is a must get for all jazz lovers and her live performances are simple amazing.

It seems no matter where Keiko goes in her exploration of life and expression in music; that she always finds just the musicallity to express it with touching honesty and soul stirring truth. Naysayers aside, let us enjoy the beauty that this lady graces us with and grow with her as she allows us to share her musical life. I am so joyous that she can progress as an artist and move in whatever direction that her life takes her. May her life be filled with joy and peace as she strives to bring that to this world. Thank you Keiko.

I love all Keiko, but I think this one is my most recent favorite. I listen to it everyday at work or in the car.

As she is my favorite artist, I always have high expectations for every new CD of hers. She delivers again, this time on the first CD she has ever produced.

But no matter who produces it, the end result is inevitably a high-quality CD. This CD is as enjoyable as any of her other efforts, and she's so good at alternately carrying the tune and adding inflections when another person takes over, often the sax player as she's had a few good ones over the years and has Paul Taylor and Gerald Albright on this one.

I have bought all of her prior albums, and many by her husband Kazu, and have usually been pleased with the distinctive variety of mix with piano and a variety of jazz or new age styles. But while this CD has a cut or two worth listening, most of this could be exchanged blindfolded with a large number of other boring lounge acts. Unfortunately, this album is like the many other "popular" jazz artists who tend to all sound alike, akin to the bland Americanized taste of a Mexican meal that is on the menu at almost every chain restaurant in the country. She used to be different, original and....I was listening to this for the first time in my office and someone came by and said "I thought you didn't like Kenny G." (I don't!) On many cuts, the main sound is sax, or some other not-her, so if you are looking for a variety of playing, like Wildflower to Dream Walk to others, it is not here.

I really like Keiko Matsui and have paid to see her three times in concert in recent years. However, this album, like the last, "Walls of Akendora," is disappointing. Whereas in past albums Keiko's music had a bigger than life, Eastern sound to it, "Moyo" just sounds like any other jazz album. There is nothing outstanding, although "Old Potch Road," for example, is simply annoying. I suppose it is the evolution of an artist; Joni Mitchell evolved through the years, too, until her albums no longer sold to anyone other than the hardcore loyal fans. Keiko seems to be moving in the same direction.