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Keiko Matsui is one of the most recognized artists in the genre of contemporay jazz. Her elegant piano melodies and gentle jazz grooves have enormous appeal and never disappoint the loyal fan base which she has cultivated with over a dozen albums and hundreds of stunning live shows.

Matsui's new self-produced album, Moyo is something of a departure for her. Recorded in South Africa, Japan and the United States with prominent south African musicians, Moyo introduces new sounds and rhythms absorbed from the local cultures.

While in South Africa, Matsui drove each day to a piano factory to compose the music for the album. "Until the sun went down, I concentrated on composing new material, surrounded by many pianos," Matsui recalls. "I will not forget their pianos and the smell of the ground there. It was a different but incredible experience."

Matsui commenced her solo recording career with 1987's A Drop Of Water. The album established Matsui as a talent of note. Her subsequent albums, including Under Northern Lights (1989), No Borders (1990), Night Waltz (1991), Cherry Blossom (1992), Doll (1994), Sapphire (1995), and Dream Walk (1996) further cemented her reputation and increased her popularity. No stranger to the upper reaches of the contemporary jazz album and airplay charts, Matsui was named Top Indie Contemporary Jazz Artist Of The Year by Billboard magazine in 1996.

1998 saw the release of Matsui's album Full Moon And The Shrine, which was accompanied by the acclaimed PBS-TV special Keiko Matsui: Light Above The Trees. The broadcast reflected the multicultural nature of Matsui's life and music and was filmed, both at Japan's breathtakingly beautiful 1,300-year-old Itsukushima Shrine and during a high-energy concert at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. In 2000, the special earned Matsui a National Smooth Jazz Award for Best Long-Form Video Achievement in 2000 where she was also honored as Best Female Artist. Matsui took the prize for female artist again in 2001 which also brought about a period of reflection for Matsui and a strong desire to create music that would help heal a world in turmoil. The result was The Ring -- an album intended to communicate a message of peace, compassion, and humanity to listeners around the world.

In 2003 Matsui recorded The Piano, revisiting her most loved compositions with new versions performed on solo piano. On 2004's Wildflower, Matsui once again used music as a platform for inspiring good. The album's title track benefits the United Nations World Food Programme's efforts in Africa. Walls of Akendora, Matsui's 2005 release of all new material, showcases her signature sophisticated jazz style on ten tunes that range from the classically-inspired to bold and brassy.

With Moyo, Matusi begins an exciting new chapter in her career as an ever-evolving artist.