Songs in Motion is a 2018 release from guitarist Yudo Matsuo that he recorded with a quartet featuring Junichiro Ohkuchi on piano, Yoshimasa Otsuka on bass, and Sota Kira on drums. While this album follows his previous debut release Bonanza (2012), there was a full six years in between, so the guitarist/composer surely had a lot to say. As a result, Songs in Motion is an album full of his stored-up musical ideas and performances, and that spirit is bursting forth as the quartet’s energy lets loose.
Those musical statements make up ten tracks that run for over an hour’s worth of material. Matsuo’s quartet plays on eight of the tracks with performances that flow atmospherically between robust displays of fun virtuosity and more laid-back pieces. Two tracks feature Matsuo alone on overdubbed guitar, simulating a duo that offers a view into his lyrical writing and close-up playing style.
It’s also interesting to note that the category keywords tagged to the online digital version of this album include acoustic, country, and folk along with jazz, and although Matsuo’s influence and personal style may lean towards these different genres here and there, the overriding jazz spirit, attitude, and improvisational showcases are the main features of this album, from start to finish.
Sticker Notes
Wildness and intelligence intertwine, stirring up the fiery sparks of tumultuous phrases. This is guitarist Yudo Matsuo’s first album in six years, recorded with his perfect lineup for a quartet. Beautiful fingers race elegantly over his original songs that are brimming with ideas.
