Wildflower

Keiko Matsui's 14th studio album, Wildflower, continues the smooth jazz/fusion/new age artist's fine tradition of blending ethereal new age textures with rich soul-jazz sensibility. On Wildflower, Matsui's music covers a variety of landscapes, from elegant piano melodies to wild improvisations, dramatic flute and saxophone harmonies and a rich ambiance, dense with percussion and potent vocals. Matsui also includes some more evocative sounds, electronic music, and more danceable rhythms. As with all of her recorded works, Matsui ties her commercial products to her humanitarian work, here donating the proceeds from the titular track, 'Wildflower Song,' to the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) effort in Africa. Matsui's albums are all consistently irresistible, but Wildflower's flawless execution and incredible dynamic makes it a must own for fans and newcomers alike.