A Drop of Water is the debut album by Keiko Matsui

Keiko Matsui

, born in Tokyo as Keiko Doi, is a Japanese smooth jazz/jazz fusion/new age/ keyboardist and composer whose career spans three decades, during which time she has released twenty CDs and has received international acclaim....

 from 1987

1987 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1987.See also:Record labels established in 1987-January-February:*January 3 – Aretha Franklin becomes the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...

. The album was also released in 1993 and then 1997 adding a bonus track

Bonus track

In terms of recorded music, a bonus track is a piece of music which has been included on specific releases or reissues of an album. This is most often done as a promotional device, either as an incentive to customers to purchase albums they might otherwise not, or to repurchase albums they already...

 for the previous album.

The original cover showed some colored pictures

Image

An image is an artifact, for example a two-dimensional picture, that has a similar appearance to some subject—usually a physical object or a person.-Characteristics:...

 of Keiko Matsui with some other thing. The other released cover showed Keiko Matsui reaching for the Sun

Sun

The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...

 in the blue sky

Sky

The sky is the part of the atmosphere or outer space visible from the surface of any astronomical object. It is difficult to define precisely for several reasons. During daylight, the sky of Earth has the appearance of a pale blue surface because the air scatters the sunlight. The sky is sometimes...

.

Review

This auspicious introduction to the many aspects of the composer's skills finds her surrounded by a slew of L.A.'s top players, some of whom had yet to begin their own solo careers at this point: Grant Geissman

Grant Geissman

Grant Geissman is a crossover jazz, contemporary jazz and new age guitarist and an Emmy-nominated composer for network TV series and TV movies. An in-demand studio musician, he has recorded extensively for several labels since 1976, and he can be heard playing guitar on the theme for Monk and...

, Brandon Fields

Brandon Fields

Brandon David Fields is an American football punter for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dolphins in the seventh round in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan State.-Early years:Fields attended St. John's Jesuit High School in Toledo,...

, Robben Ford

Robben Ford

Robben Ford is an American blues, jazz and rock guitarist.-Biography:Ford was born in Woodlake, California, United States, but raised in Ukiah, California, and began playing the saxophone at age 10, picking up the guitar at age 13...

, Nathan East

Nathan East

Nathan Harrell East is a jazz, R&B and rock bass player and vocalist. East holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from the University of California, San Diego...

, Vinnie Colaiuta

Vinnie Colaiuta

Vincent Colaiuta is an American drummer based in Los Angeles. Originally from Republic, Pennsylvania, he began playing drums as a child and received his first full drum kit from his parents at the age of 14...

, and Jimmy Johnson

Jimmy Johnson (bassist)

Jimmy Johnson is an American bass guitarist best known for his work with James Taylor, Allan Holdsworth, Lee Ritenour and Flim & the BB's...

. Matsui balances a mystic Eastern edge with a lighthearted New Agey pop appeal. "Ancient Wind" and the Geissman co-composition "Mediterranean Sea" are the best cuts, building from pastoral ideas into an explosive ensemble hook. Matsui also showed her penchant for soulful vocal pieces, using Abu Khalil and Marva King to varying effectiveness. The emotional vocal title cut was inspired by Challenger astronaut Ron McNair.

Track listing

Personnel

• Keiko Matsui: Piano, Keyboards
• Kazu Matsui: Shakuhachi
  Shakuhachi
  The is a Japanese end-blown flute. It is traditionally made of bamboo, but versions now exist in ABS and hardwoods. It was used by the monks of the Fuke school of Zen Buddhism in the practice of...
  
  
• Brandon Fields: Saxophone
• Walt Flower: Flugelhorn
• Susie Katayama: Cello
• David Garfield: Piano, Synthesizers
• Derek Nakamato: Synthesizers
• Grant Geissman: Guitar
• Robben Ford: Guitar
• Nathan East: Bass
• Vinnie Coliauta: Drums
• Micheal Fisher: Percussion