Keiko Matsui facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Keiko Matsui
Matsui performing at DAR Constitution Hall in 2009
Background information
Native name	松居 慶子
Birth name	土居 慶子 (Keiko Doi)
Born	(1961-07-26) July 26, 1961 (age 63) Tokyo, Japan
Genres	Smooth jazz, new-age
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer
Instruments	Keyboard
Years active	1980–present
Labels	MCA, White Cat, Countdown, Narada, Shanachie

Keiko Matsui (松居 慶子, Matsui Keiko, born 26 July 1961, as Keiko Doi) is a talented Japanese musician. She plays the keyboard and writes her own music. Keiko is known for her unique style, which blends smooth jazz and new-age music.

About Keiko Matsui

Matsui at an autograph signing, 2006

Keiko Matsui was born in Tokyo, Japan. Her mother, Emiko, took her to her first piano lesson. This happened in June, just after Keiko turned six years old. There is a Japanese tradition that says if a child starts something at this age, they will continue it for a long time. This was certainly true for Keiko.

She studied piano all through her school years. At first, she learned classical music. But when she was in junior high, she became interested in jazz. That's when she started writing her own songs.

Keiko studied children's culture at Japan Women's University. Then, she continued her music studies at the Yamaha Music Foundation. She even started a band called Cosmos. They recorded four albums together.

Her first solo album was called A Drop of Water. It came out in 1987. She worked on this album with her husband, Kazu Matsui. Later, she signed with MCA Records. She released albums like No Borders and Under Northern Lights. In 1995, her album Sapphire became very popular. It reached number one on the Billboard magazine Contemporary Jazz chart.

Keiko also produced her own album, The Road, in 2011. She worked with many famous musicians on this project. In the same year, she also collaborated with Bob James. Her album Soul Quest (2013) reached number six on the jazz chart.

Keiko's Musical Style

Keiko Matsui's music mixes sounds from both Western and Eastern traditions. She feels a deep spiritual connection to her music. She often says that her compositions "come to me from another space, another dimension." She feels like she is "catching notes from the silence" and putting them together.

Keiko believes that music is a powerful gift. She thinks it can bring people together and even change their lives. She once wrote, "We are connected by music, as the Ocean connects the continents."

Keiko loves nature very much. You can often see this in the names of her songs. She mentions plants, animals, and natural elements. She also has a special interest in the moon. Many of her songs have titles that refer to the moon.

Helping Others Through Music

Keiko Matsui uses her music to help people. In 1997, she released a mini-CD called A Gift of Hope. The money from this CD helped the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization. Her music was also featured in a TV special about breast cancer.

She performed at an ice skating event in 1997. This event supported the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Money from her album A Gift of Life went to the National Marrow Donor Program. This program helps people find matching bone marrow donors. It especially helps people from ethnic minorities.

Royalties from her album Wildflower supported the United Nations World Food Programme. This program helps feed people around the world. Keiko even performed at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City in 2003 to support this important cause.

Discography

Solo Albums

• A Drop of Water (Passport, 1987)
• Under Northern Lights (MCA, 1989)
• No Borders (MCA, 1990)
• Night Waltz (Sin-Drome, 1991)
• Cherry Blossom (White Cat, 1992)
• Doll (White Cat, 1994)
• Sapphire (White Cat, 1995)
• Dream Walk (Countdown, 1996)
• Full Moon and the Shrine (Countdown, 1998)
• Whisper from the Mirror (Countdown, 2000)
• Hidamari no Ki (2000) soundtrack (Planet Joy 2002)
• Deep Blue (Narada, 2001)
• Deep Blue - solo piano version (Planet Joy Records, 2001)
• The Ring (Narada, 2002)
• The Piano (Narada, 2003)
• White Owl (Narada, 2003)
• Wildflower (Narada, 2004)
• Walls of Akendora (Narada, 2005)
• Moyo (Heart & Soul) (Shout! Factory, 2007)
• The Road... (Shanachie, 2011)
• Altair & Vega with Bob James (eOne, 2011)
• Soul Quest (Shanachie, 2013)
• Journey to the Heart (Shanachie, 2016)
• Echo (Shanachie, 2019)
• Euphoria (Shanachie, 2023)

Live Albums

• Keiko Matsui Live (Countdown, 1999)
• Live in Tokyo (Sony/Columbia, 2002)

EP Albums

• A Gift of Hope (Unity, 1997)
• A Gift of Life (Narada, 2001)

With Cosmos

• Hyoryu (Toshiba-EMI, 1980)
• Session III (Yamaha R&D Studio, 1981)
• Can Can Can! (Pony Canyon, 1982)
• Bourbonsuite (Pony Canyon, 1982)
• Musitopia (Pony Canyon, 1983)
• Musou Toshi Pony Canyon, 1984)
• Lensman (soundtrack) (Pony Canyon, 1984)
• Session V (Yamaha R&D Studio, 1985)

With Kazu Matsui - as guest

• Tribal Mozart (Countdown, 1997)
• Tribal Shubert (Countdown, 1999)
• Tribal Beethoven (Planet Joy, 2001)

With Others

• Just My Tone Mariko Tone (1987)
• Spread Colors, Akira Asakura
• Dancing on the Water, Bob James (Warner Brothers/WEA, 2000)
• Miles to Miles, Jason Miles (Narada, 2005)

Compilation Albums

• Collection (GRP, 1997)
• The Very Best Of Keiko Matsui (Verve, 2004)

Videos

• Bridge over the Stars
• Full Moon and the Shrine
• Light Above the Trees (Winstar, 1998)
• The Jazz Channel Presents Keiko Matsui (Image Entertainment, 2001) DVD
• White Owl (Narada, 2003) DVD included with the White Owl CD; concert at Bunkamura Orchard Hall (Tokyo, 2002)
• Walls of Akendora bonus DVD included with the music CD; 9 songs with track 10 a home movie of being on the road (2004)
• Live in Tokyo (CD and DVD ) (Shanachie, 2015)

See also

In Spanish: Keiko Matsui para niños