"I hope sharing my music will increase the harmony on this earth."
A consummate musician, composer and humanitarian is sought after the world over, not only for her gifts on the keys, but also for her ability to connect with people from all walks of life. Her music is a conduit for shedding light on everything from breast cancer awareness to poverty and hunger in developing countries. Through her music, she transcends cultural barriers and infuses thousands of fans with hope that the world, such as it is, can always be made better.
Matsui began writing music at an age when most kids are still trying to decide what they want to do with their life. While she never thought she would be performing on stages all over the world, this artist realized, even as a youth, that music was in her blood. "For me, writing music was very natural," says the Tokyo native. "It was like writing in a diary." And what began with scores she wrote for junior high school musical competitions has blossomed into an incredible career that has produced over two dozen albums, and afforded her the opportunity to collaborate with such award winning artists as Bob James, Kirk Whalum and Chuck Loeb. She has rubbed shoulders with dignitaries and heads of state across the globe, and yet the accolades and well deserved recognition does not distract her from what this artists believes is her ultimate purpose. "I hope sharing my music will increase the harmony on this earth," Matsui says. Whether touring overseas to increase awareness for childhood starvation in Africa, or contributing her time and talent to bone marrow transplant campaigns, Keiko continually demonstrates her desire to leave this world better than she found it.
This story is from the September - October 2016/Keiko Matsui edition of Smooth Jazz Magazine.
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This story is from the September - October 2016/Keiko Matsui edition of Smooth Jazz Magazine.
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