Rather than being filled to the brim with high-tempo chases, Matsumoto takes us on a more subdued and delicate journey on this album. While her trademark agility and speed are not completely excluded, the overall mood of the album evokes a slower, more thoughtful elegance.

The album contains eight tracks with the pianist contributing three original compositions. On the whole, mid-tempo and ballad tracks get the lion’s share of the playlist. Oscar Peterson’s “Laurentide Waltz” is grand jazz eloquence with a beautiful opening piano solo, “Danny Boy” is slow swing, nostalgic but freshly interpreted, and Oscar Pettiford’s “Gentle Art of Love” showcases bassist Peter Washington’s solemn improvisation over quiet chords and drum brushes.

On the other hand, as an interesting twist, classic jazz tunes which are often heard as ballads are freshly reinvented and sped up here. The title track “Memories of You” is stylish and uptempo, sounding like something in the classic Oscar Peterson Trio mold, while Mancini’s “Moon River” is arranged with syncopated hits over a breezy, toe-tapping swing. Matsumoto’s piano improvisations in these sorts of songs are where she particularly shines, laying out bebop lines in a happy-go-lucky style with lots of chic twists and turns. In that same fiery spirit, her original tune “JJ” is included (a live show favorite which also appears on her Big Catch release), showing her breakneck agility and devotion to early piano influences from Phineas Newborn Jr and Oscar Peterson.

The final two tracks feature the pianist in a more mellow mood, with a tribute to pianist Mulgrew Miller in her bewitching composition “Goodbye Mr. Miller”, followed by Matsumoto’s “Hometown”, a tender ballad dedicated to Totori, Japan and communicating a shared love of home to all of us.

Audio and Video

• Promotional video for this album:

• Excerpt from track #1: “Memories of You”

Hori leads a bright, swinging trio on this jazz record, full of high-energy peaks and steady grooves. Extremely nimble in his playing, Hori’s clearly executed phrases fill his improvisation with exciting patterns and curlicues, urged on by the propulsive anchor of rhythm section members Daiki Yasukagawa on bass and Gene Jackson on drums.

While this is Hori’s third album as leader, In My Words is his first exclusively piano trio album, a great opportunity to honor one of his idols, the pianist Kenny Kirkland. Similar to the album title, the last tune “Another ‘Words’” references an earlier song of Hori’s called “The Words of Mr. Kenny K.”, a tribute to Kenny Kirkland, who is obviously a huge influence in his personal style and a jazz giant whom he appreciates greatly. The listener may recognize the impact in Hori’s amazing playing as well. Highly talented yet not overly flashy, Hori, ever gracious, also leaves plenty of room for his sidemen to shine, with rousing bass solos and drum features, such as the heavy groove riff and drum improvisation on “Form”.

Hori’s songwriting is also on display, with six originals (the crowd favorite “Winter Waltz” being a highlight) and three rearranged covers: “This Is New”, “Take The A Train”, and “So Near, So Far”.

Audio and Video

• Audio for track #7, “Winter Waltz”:

• Excerpt from track #1: “This is New”

Alongside classic and rearranged standards from Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Billy Strayhorn, and Jimmy Van Heusen, Matsumoto showcases her skill and bebop affinity on the opening title track and Oscar Peterson’s “Place St. Henri,” while spreading softer wings on the graceful “Miss Sunshine” and her original “Quiet Rain,” a touching ballad which closes the album.

Audio and Video

• Promotional video for this album:

• Excerpt from track #1: “Night&Day”