Jazz violinist Maiko pours her heart and soul out on her 2018 release Solo, brimming with graceful elegance and drama through the resonance of her strings.

Unaccompanied and pure, the sound is direct and full, as if listening to a private recital in a stately room. Despite performing alone without overdubs or effects, Maiko has the ability to establish a moving pulse with string accents and gorgeous multi-string harmonies, keeping listeners hooked and drawn into the music.

Standard jazz is delivered through covers with a swing beat such as “I’ve Never Been In Love Before”, “Funkallero”, and “All Blues”, particularly poignant on the beautiful ballad “In A Sentimental Mood” and the earthy dance “Balkan Tale”. Yet Maiko’s original songs and improvisations perhaps convey the violinist’s personality most vividly, with fantastic moods and relaxed sounds mixing classical, jazz, and fairy-tale charm in her music. With five of her original compositions alongside the five covers, fans of jazz violin and entrancing atmospheres will likely return to Maiko’s Solo often.

Solo by Maiko

• maiko - violin

Released in 2018 on T-Toc Records as TTOC-0029.

Japanese names: マイコ maiko

Audio and Video

• Promotional video for this album:

• Excerpt from track #9: “Improvisation”

Jazz of Japan #107 • Feb 28, 2020 • Brian McCrory