Concert Review: Keiko Matsui at Buffalo State
Sophisticated Musicianship Thrilled Her Raucous Fans
On Saturday April 13, 2024 Keiko Matsui brought her band Jimmy Branly (drums), João Pedro (JP) Mourão, (guitar), and Rico Belled (bass) to an enthusiastic audience at Buffalo State’s Performance Hall in support of her most recent recording, Euphoria (2023).
Matsui’s music may be fairly characterized as “smooth jazz,” as it is a sub-genre of “jazz fusion” which emphasizes lyric melody, R&B rhythms, and is “easy listening.” Matsui’s smooth sound should not be confused with the pandering, saccharine sounds of Kenny G and others whose unlistenable bleating represents the musical equivalent of romance novels.
Euphoria boasts an impressive list of guests, including Randy Brecker, Mike Stern, Grégoire Maret, John Beasley, Joel Ross, Lalah Hathaway and Kirk Whalum. Indeed, the title track is emblematic of the album’s layered sound which includes strings and Joel Ross’ vibraphone.
Matsui’s talented supporting band comes from LA’s music scene and skillfully re-created Euphoria’s complex sound with minimal instrumentation. Jimmy Branly’s jazz kit brought both complex syncopation and heavy rock sounds; JP Mourão’s Strat copy (Xotic Custom guitars for my fellow six-stringers) added atmosphere and blazing riffs (The Choice). Rico Belled’s bass anchored the quartet, always up in the mix but never overpowering.
Matsui largely remained behind her Steinway, augmenting her sound with a synthesizer and melodica (Steps on the Globe). Her soft, gracious audience patter was met with raucous enthusiasm from the approximately 500 audience members who shouted praise and clapped in unison for the evening’s encore (Bridge Over the Stars).
Matsui’s thirty albums and decades of music making have created fans all over the world. The Buffalo contingent was in full voice and went home happy.
Set List April 13, 2024, Performance Hall, Buffalo State University, Buffalo, New York. All songs written by Keiko Matsui. (1) Mossy Mountain; (2) Steps on the Globe; (3) The Choice; (4) New Passage; (5) Rosso Cantabile; (6) Luminescence; (7) Casablanca; (8) Forever Forever; (9) Euphoria. ENCORE: Bridge Over The Stars. Performance length: one hour and twenty minutes.