White Owl [live]

by Jonathan Widran There's no more spiritual experience in contemporary jazz than a live show by composer/keyboardist Matsui, who blends lush keyboard melodies, explosive improvisations, and a true Eastern spirit drawn from her Japanese heritage. White Owl, a special-edition CD/DVD, captures Matsui's vibrant 2002 live performance at Bunkamura Orchard Hall, Tokyo, where she played many of her best-loved tunes with her regular band (including the prominent Michael Ghegan on sax, Mel Brown on bass, and husband Kazu Matsui on the shakuhachi flute). The audio portion includes new tunes like the title track as well as groove-intensive, sax-driven standbys "Moonlight Sailor" and "Across the Sun." There are also three solo piano pieces that offer a rare intimate look at Matsui's classically inspired piano passions. The DVD includes 15 songs and clips from Matsui's travels in the U.S.A., Morocco, South Africa, and Istanbul.