Keiko Matsui Walls of Akendora (2005) [cd + Bonus Dvd] RE Upload

The Syn featuring, some of the music world's best progressive rock musicians. Following a fairly quiet time for The Syn while their legendary vocalist and songwriter Steve Nardelli has been the force behind the first eco town to be built in the UK, the iconic pre-Yes band from the 60's returns with a live CD recorded in 2009 at Rosfest in Philadelphia on their Big Sky tour and a 2 films bonus on a single DVD 'The Syn in the 21st Century' and 'The Making of Big Sky', the latter charting at number one on the Amazon VOD chart in America. Big Sky studio album was voted the best progressive music album of 2009 by USA Progressive Music magazine and much of that music is featured on this remarkable live album, described by Precision Mastering as "the finest live album we have worked on". The bonus DVD features the 23 minute film The Making of Big Sky and 20 minute The Syn in the 21st Century.

Fusion/new age keyboard player Keiko Matsui grew up in Tokyo and took her first piano lesson at the age of five. Influenced by Stevie Wonder and Rachmaninov as well as early fusion masters Maurice Jarre and Chick Corea, Matsui began composing while in junior high but studied children's culture at the Japan Women's University (Nihon Joshidaigaku). She moved to the Yamaha Music Foundation in Tokyo after graduation and formed Cosmos, recording four albums with the new age group. Her first album as a leader, 1987's A Drop of Water, was released in the U.S. two years after the fact on Passport.

Keiko Matsui is well known for blending smooth jazz, new age and world music genres together to form a rather theatrical and dramatic fusion. This live album is in some ways both a "Best Of" and an improved master of her better work before the end of the 90s. The sound quality and production is excellent - kudos to both her husband Kazu (producer) and the mixing and engineering team because all parts sound clear, full and excellent.
In terms of melody, progressions, voicing and so on, Keiko doesn't break new ground, but in terms of arrangement, selection of instruments, and the 'feel' of the music she's manages to give her material an unique and enjoyable signature. This album brings that to the fore very nicely, with many of her more genre-defying pieces included…

If there's such a thing as poetic music, Matsui continues her discovery of it on this effort. For all its beauty ad more aggressive touches, this collection doesn't quite measure up to her previous collection No Borders, but there are moments of fusion in her work here which cook like never before, thanks to Eric Marienthal, Gerald Albright and guitarist Ron Komie. While husband/producer Kazu Matsui adds his mysterious shakuhachi wind to "Grey Cliffs," Matsui spends her time creating soundscapes which range from mainly acoustic to punchy electric pieces like "Hope." Clay Jenkins' flugelhorn is a plus. The two vocals here don't give Greg Walker enough excitement to play with; instead they seem too ambitious. Don't let the flowers on the cover fool you because this disc is anything but fluffy and pastoral in nature.

Fusion/new age keyboard player Keiko Matsui grew up in Tokyo and took her first piano lesson at the age of five. Influenced by Stevie Wonder and Rachmaninov as well as early fusion masters Maurice Jarre and Chick Corea, Matsui began composing while in junior high but studied children's culture at the Japan Women's University (Nihon Joshidaigaku). She moved to the Yamaha Music Foundation in Tokyo after graduation and formed Cosmos, recording four albums with the new age group.

Sir David Coverdale has returned with a new album that is a true return to Whitesnake’s 1980’s dominance. It is not a simple case of saying this is the next 1987 or Slide It In as Forevermore stands on it’s own merits. That said, it does sit nicely on a shelf next to these two classics…

Always a big event when she releases a new record, the pop empress presents her brand new set of songs. Overlooked by mass audiences, pop chameleon Mylene Farmer enjoys the adoration of millions in her native France, where, in the course of her 3-decade career, she has evolved from popstress to pop Empress. With 60+ singles, 31 million records sold, and an endless array of awards, accolades, and records broken, she is enjoying royal status and success equal to that of Madonna. "Disobedience" is her 11th studio effort, following the incredible "Interstellaires" from 2015. Mylene creates sexy and hypnotic compositions, completing the mysterious atmosphere with her astonishing, eerie vocals. Transcending the barrier of language, she can be as compelling as anyone of her international peers.

If we're talking Keiko Matsui, we can expect another impressionistic album cover which belies the often explosive music on the disc. Matsui draws a little more from her heritage this time but textures it with soulful excursions ("Walking on the Bridge"). She once again gives radio a seductive earful while continuing her heightened exploration into more challenging orchestral sounds and several impressive, wildly percussive Latin journeys (e.g. "Sail South"). Making perfect use of Lenny Castro's spicy percussion and Clay Jenkins' punchy trumpet flavors, Matsui lets loose. The gospel vocal by Arnold McCuller is a strong one. Other newcomers to the fold are guitarist Jorge Strunz, Jon Clark (recorder) and Sam Riney on sax.