Soul Quest marks pianist
Keiko Matsui's 25th recording anniversary. Since the very beginning, her crystalline piano and accessible yet harmonically rich compositions have been mainstays, not only on the smooth and contemporary jazz scenes, but also on the charts. She enlisted an all-star studio group to assist her on these ten tunes, nine of which she wrote or co-wrote. Most tracks were produced either by
Fourplay guitarist
Chuck Loeb (who contributes one tune, co-wrote several others, and plays on the set) or
Narada Michael Walden (who also plays drums selectively and co-wrote the album's closer). Other contributors include
Will Lee,
Marcus Miller,
Fernando Saunders,
Kirk Whalum,
David Mann,
Andy Snitzer, and
Brian Dunne, to name a few. The charting single "Black Lion," with its breezy acoustic guitar line from from
Grecco Buratto and some tasty loops and percussion programming from
Derek Nakamoto, is a clear standout, as is "A Night with Cha Cha," with
Loeb,
Lee, and
Dunne.
Matsui's piano uses the familiar Latin form as a jumping-off point for improvisation. Her composition weaves an intricate melody line for her piano and
Whalum's tenor saxophone with a couple of dramatic changes in the bridge. "Antarctica: A Call to Action" walks a hazy line between contemporary jazz, classical crossover, and even rock, with stellar solos from
Whalum on both tenor and soprano, a punchy gatekeeper bassline by
Miller, elegant and sometimes thunderous drumming by
Walden, and atmospheric guitar from Matthew Charles Heulitt.
Matsui uses her piano and other keyboards to direct its many parts like a mini-suite The title track is a tango-inspired jazz ballad with
Matsui interacting dreamily with
Cameron Stone's cello over the first half, but
Eric Baines' bassline and
Nakamoto's funky synth and programming offer a tempo and color shift that
Matsui builds upon, exchanging fours with all her players. Set-closer "Stingo," written by the pianist and
Walden, is her tribute to
Sting.
Matsui's precise ostinati and arpeggios are pushed by
Walden's aggressive kit work and programming, with colorful textures added by
Jimi Reitzel's keyboards. There is a cinematic quality to the breezy and labyrinthine elegance of her improvising against a pronounced rhythmic attack.
Soul Quest's greatest achievement lies in its diversity, and in the way
Matsui applies her imagination as a composer, improviser, and arranger. It ranks with her finest work. ~ Thom Jurek