Kazu Matsui presents a sterling collection of songs recorded over a five-year period in the '80s at a time when he was perfecting a sound then known as quiet storm. The 16 tracks on
Pioneer feature guest appearances by such well-known artists as
Paul Jackson, Jr.,
Eric Marienthal,
Robben Ford and his award-winning spouse, pianist
Keiko Matsui. The recording also features a variety of vocalists on 15 of the tracks who infuse new life into such songs as "Sunset and the Minstrel" and "The Direction You Take." As a composer of motion picture scores,
Matsui gained notoriety after playing the shakuhachi flute on such great soundtracks as Shogun, Willow, and
Legends of the Fall, among others. ~ Paula Edelstein