It's been a long time since I've had an American-based artist whose releases I'm willing to plunk down the cash for on the day of release simply because I know that artist will do no wrong.

Keiko Matsui, however, is one of those artists. Since I discovered her in 2001, she's not once failed to disappoint me with a release, always managing to infuse a familiar sound with something new or throw something completely heretofore unheard at her listeners. Maybe that's because my ears are accustomed to what many casual listeners will think of as "elevator music", or maybe it's because I'm a pianist myself (although slightly out-of-practice) and simply enjoy the sound of the instrument -- but for whatever reason, Matsui has always produced, in my eyes, top-notch material since I've discovered her music.

Walls of Akendora (Narada Jazz, 2005), Matsui's most recent album, has been hailed as a surprising and pleasant return to Matsui's mid-90's style -- a more "true" jazz sound mixed with traditional Eastern elements -- a facet of her music that seemed to be absent from her previous releases with Narada, which leaned in a more "New Age"-like direction. However, jazz isn't the only thing featured here; one thing Keiko Matsui has going for her is that she can't be defined -- while it's true, yes, that she's thrown in with all the other relatively-unknown "smooth jazz" artists in the record store, neither that label nor any other can truly define her music. There are elements of just about every major genre floating around within this disc (or any of her others, for that matter), which, for most people, might be a bit problematic. However, the album isn't jarring when transitioning from track-to-track and ends up flowing together as a cohesive whole very well. In fact, I honestly can't say that I can find many faults with this album at all -- only that some listeners may be turned off by the rather meditative nature of Matsui's slower pieces (which, even so, are handled in a much more upbeat manner here than on previous works) and the sheer inability to really get a grasp on many of the songs without repeated listenings (Matsui's one of those artists who becomes more intriguing as a song is peeled away, layer by layer, to see what she's hidden underneath). Other than those two rather-minor quibbles, Matsui's put together a solid, well-rounded number that's sure to please fans of all her "styles".

Although all ten tracks here are worth discussion, there's only so much to say about a fully-instrumental album -- and so I've chosen the following to showcase.

Overture for the City
If I hadn't been driving home when I first played this CD, my jaw would have hit the floor. While Matsui normally saves her more playful, energetic tracks for the middle or end of an album, Walls of Akendora instead opens with all cylinders firing at full blast. A blaring, loud, piercing trumpet solo opens the song before being joined by crashing cymbals and relentlessly-played drums over a plucky bass line (which has a couple impressive solo lines during the bridge), which is then all joined together and mixed in with Matsui's impeccable piano playing. While her piano part, at first, is simple, it's soon joined by a saxophone which plays alongside Matsui until what feels like the song's chorus, where Matsui breaks away and solos for a bit, bringing everything together and then pausing -- only briefly -- before finalizing the chorus with its final two notes. Continuing to the bridge, Matsui and the saxophonist play off each other for a bit, the sax backing Matsui up as she does a bit of improvisation before returning the song to a simple riff that's revisited in the "jazz-hands" ending. She couldn't have picked a better way to begin the album, methinks.

Mountain Shakedown
Originally appearing on Matsui's 1989 major-label debut, this early favorite has been rather radically-changed from its original appearance. Instead of a slightly lounge-y R&B ballad led by a growling saxophone, with Matsui mainly playing backup on keyboard, we're treated to a slightly more chilled-out track, with a very ethereal opening flanked by grandiose strings and a brief Arabian sitar solo before the entering of a very "trip-hop" backing beat and low-pitched pan-flutes. Matsui's piano takes the forefront here instead of the saxophone (which is relegated to the background) and while the song still maintains the overall feeling of "jazz", it's a much more laid-back (at times) track that still manages to impress and show some aggression and emotion, as in the chorus, where the sax joins Matsui in a heated battle for the spotlight, and the bridge, where Matsui impressively navigates the keyboard in a pure-jazz improv solo.

Canvas
No review of this album would be complete without a mention of this track, and tied with Overture for the best "pure jazz" song on the disc. Opening with a loud, piercing whistle (that features occasionally throughout the song) over a brief tin drum line, the song then transitions into the most fun, bouncy song I think I've ever heard Matsui perform (even more plucky than Across the Sun from Deep Blue), with her piano providing most of the song's backing, from the quirky, memorable rhythm that opens the song to the always-likable melody during the verses (which are backed by shakers, a guitar and bass, and a fun handclap rhythm section). Joined by either a trumpet or sax very briefly before the song's "chorus", Matsui ties it all together with a quick jaunt up the scale before the song quiets down a bit with a sax solo and brief improv lines from Matsui during the bridge. The main melody of the song is repeated again (with another upscale slide from Matsui, this time going higher) before settling down into a quieter, more improv-based ending that seems slightly out-of-place but serves its purpose well.

Akendora's Clock
The emotional climax of the album -- sure, Canvas comes before it, and is possibly the best track on the album, but it doesn't do what this track does. Beginning softly, the track seems like the antithesis to its predecessor: muted, emotive piano over an acoustic guitar line, softly-tapped drums, bass and a viola, the song evokes images of the fictional Akendora going about its day pleasantly; that is, until a fateful organ joins Matsui's piano for an emotional crescendo at two minutes in and, from here on out, the song completely changes moods. Gone is the happy day in Akendora, plagued by a relentless, raging beast in the form of an upped tempo, more aggression on the part of all involved (Matsui, her drummer, the guitarist), a haunting "backwards-down-the-scale" line repeated throughout this section, and the appearance of Matsui's husband Kazu on his shakuhachi flute, only adding to the confusion and chaos with his sparse, emotive notes. Fortunately, however, a climactic showdown ensues that ends with Matsui running up the piano against a chasing drum line and felling the beast with a shrill blast of high-pitched natural-and-sharp notes. The melody from the song's beginning returns, but all is not as calm as before -- there's a hint of fear as the song gently rolls to a fade. Pure sonic beauty is hard to create, but Matsui does so with no problem.

Walls of Akendora
Matsui flirts with her larger-than-life "New Age" elements on the album's penultimate track, an epic-sounding ballad with a rolling drum solo anchored by brooding bass, shakers, and a light drum beat -- all tied together with Matsui's perfectly-played piano, whose melody here is quiet, reflective, and slightly haunting. Joined by a saxophone about a minute in, the song seems to be trying to replicate the same effect that Akendora's Clock did, turning into a crashing, orchestral climax without much prior warning -- it's sudden, unexpected, and changes the song completely, but it works very well. A bit of a more jazz-oriented piano takes over, as Matsui's solo lines play around the now-roused backing that surrounds her. At two-and-a-half minutes, the song twists again as Matsui races up and back down the keyboard in a piano part to behold as the backing swells and rises around her, threatening to consume the song; however, like before, the song's "main" melody returns with hints of the rage bubbling beneath the surface and the song quiets down again...the album would have ended perfectly right there (not that the ending track is anything to sneeze at).

As much as I loved Matsui's more atypical works, her return to the style that "made her famous" is a welcome one. Fortunately, she doesn't just revisit familiar styles and continues to innovate and impress throughout the entirety of the disc. Walls of Akendora is fully worthy of five stars, and should be a staple in any smooth-jazz lover's collection. Highly, highly recommended.

Keiko Matsui: "Walls of Akendora"
[ CDA | Narada Jazz | 2005.04.05 ]

01. Overture for the City [ 4:14 ]
02. Crystal Shadow [ 4:06 ]
03. Mountain Shakedown [ 4:08 ]
04. Canvas [ 4:34 ]
05. Akendora's Clock [ 4:58 ]
06. Walking Through It [ 4:37 ]
07. Blue Butterfly [ 4:35 ]
08. Gentle Sands [ 4:36 ]
09. Walls of Akendora [ 3:58 ]
10. Bay of Destiny [ 4:09 ]

[ http://www.keikomatsui.com ]

Recommended: Yes