Naoya Matsuoka

Naoya Matsuoka: Emerald

by Thomas Joyce
October 9, 2008

With 1997's Emerald, Naoya Matsuoka commemorates his 45th anniversary as a jazz artist with a fully acoustic album. All nine tracks were composed by this exemplary Japanese musician, who confers an engaging exultancy that holds the attention with subtle grace and explicit ingenuity. It would not be too far fetched to presume that this exuberance stems from Matsuoka’s own realization that he has come a long way, and this album in many ways showcases his personal triumph.