The exceptionally talented Jazz artist Keiko Matsui has released her CD entitled Moyo. I am very confident and happy to announce that I believe Keiko Matsui fans, and Jazz fans alike will be pleased with this one. With the release of Moyo Keiko Matsui’s artistic excellence is on full display as Matsui has once again delivered a brilliant collection of tracks that could very well be her best work to date.
Refreshingly, this was one of those CDs I was able to just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish.
These days it’s a very rare CD on which every single song is good or better than the one before it. This CD is certainly one of those rare CDs.
Overall Moyo is an outstanding release. What I call must have music. I give it two thumbs up and is most definitely a worthy addition to any Jazz collection. Truly an outstanding Jazz CD. One of those that is completely void of any wasted time, as each track is simply superb.
While the entire CD is outstanding some of my favorites are track 2 – A Great Romance, track 5 – An Evening In Gibraltar, and track 6 – When I Close My Eyes
My Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 10 – Old Potch Road. It’s a great track!
Moyo Release Notes:
Keiko Matsui originally released Moyo on Apr 24, 2007 on the Sony Wonder label.
CD Track List Follows:
1. Moyo (Heart & Soul)
2. Great Romance, A
3. Into The Night
4. Caricias
5. An Evening In Gibraltar
6. When I Close My Eyes
7. After The Rain
8. Allure
9. Black River
10. Old Potch Road
11. Um Novo Dia (A New Day)
12. Marula
Release Notes Personnel include: Keiko Matsui (piano); Richard Bona (vocals, bass guitar); Waldemar Bastos (vocals); Paul Taylor (saxophone); Gerald Albright (soprano saxophone); Hugh Masekela (trumpet); Derek Nakamoto (synthesizer, programming); Akira Jimbo (drums).
Recording information: 2006.
By: Tom Milson
Lalah Hathaway, very talented Jazz artist has released her latest CD titled Outrun The Sky and Wow! It’s really a good one.
This one grabs your attention right out of the gate with How Many Times and doesn’t let go until the very last note of the very last song Boston, which by the way is another great track.
One of the refreshingly nice things about this CD is the way all of the participating artists seem to be really enjoying themselves. Combine that with the overall presentation and you’ve got one of Lalah Hathaway’s most impressive releases ever.
If you’re a Lalah Hathaway fan this is a CD your collection flat cannot be without. In fact, this is one of those CDs that you don’t even have to be a fan of Hathaway, or even Jazz to know is good. It’s just good music. Period.
While the entire album is really very good the truly standout tunes are How Many Times [track 1], Forever, For Always, For Love [track 4], and Outrun The Sky [track 6].
My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 3, Your Favorite Song. It’s a great track!
Outrun The Sky Release Notes:
Lalah Hathaway originally released Outrun The Sky on Sep 28, 2004 on the ARK 21 label.
CD Track List Follows:
How Many Times Back Then Your Favorite Song Forever, For Always, For Love Better And Better Outrun The Sky If U Ever In The End Admit It Stronger We Were 2 More Boston
Personnel include: Lalah Hathaway (vocals); Mike City (various instruments); David Delhomme (guitar, keyboards); Chris Parks (guitar, bass guitar); John “Jubu” Smith (guitar); Brandon Fields (saxophone); Tim Carmon (Fender Rhodes piano, organ); Michael White, Poogie Bell (drums); Ricky Rodriguez (percussion).
By: Tom Milson