Altair & Vega
Bob James & Keiko Matsui
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| Name | Artist | Time | Price | ||
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1 |
Altair & Vega | Bob James & Keiko Matsui | 6:48 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
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2 |
Frozen Lake | Bob James & Keiko Matsui | 6:42 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
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3 |
Divertimento | Bob James & Keiko Matsui | 6:52 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
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4 |
Midnight Stone | Bob James & Keiko Matsui | 5:59 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
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5 |
Invisible Wing | Bob James & Keiko Matsui | 4:24 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
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6 |
Forever Variations | Bob James & Keiko Matsui | 13:11 | Album Only | View In iTunes |
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7 |
Bach Chorale | Bob James & Keiko Matsui | 3:20 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
| Total: 7 Songs |
iTunes Review
Two superstars of the contemporary jazz circuit, Bob James and Keiko Matsui combine their formidable skills on Altair & Vega. Matsui’s known for her spiritual and naturalistic vibe, referencing outer space and the elements while exploring multiple styles (smooth jazz, funk, new age). James put out his first record in 1962, but he’s best known for a long string of instrumental hits in the '70s and '80s (most notably the Taxi theme, "Angela,” as well as "Nautilus" and "Take Me to the Mardi Gras," both of which have been sampled by an wide array of hip-hop producers). Fittingly, the album’s title references two of the brightest stars in our galaxy. The seven songs here are straight piano with no outside instrumentation, and for the most part they’re mellow, dreamy, and peaceful. "Divertimento" picks up the pace a bit, while "Midnight Stone" and "Invisible Wing" feature flourishing melodies and multiple changeups. More classically minded than some of their other work, it's still an enjoyable listen from two legendary performers.
Customer Reviews
Altair & Vega
Two fantastic artists. I've liked Bob James since Grand Piano Canyon. This tops it all. Pure piano deliciousness.
Outstanding Mastery
Wow! No other way to start off a description of this selection of music. You begin with two outstanding artists with fantastic collections in their own right. Put them together and watch the magic happen! If you know the history of both Bob James and Keiko Matsui then you know they share the common characteristic of being child prodigys, Bob here in the US and Keiko in Japan. Fast forward through their collections to this production and you have the rare opportunity to hear them both really show off the true mastery of the piano they each have with their own unique style.
Sit back and listen and you can hear who is playing what with the variations of touch, style and phrasing, all the time marveling at how two masters can both sound fantastic and different at the same time. I suppose the real mastery is demonstrated in how seamlessly these two come together to make a sound so wonderful together.
I am excited to see two of my favorite artists come together in a single collaboration. Hey, David Benoit, care to join the fun?
Arthur
Good but not great
I've been a Bob James fan for almost 40 years now and have every one of his albums since "Bob James 1." I admire that he is still looking for new things to try, new combinations, new styles. This duo-piano recording has some beautiful moments, but I wasn't truly inspired by any of the tracks. The contemporary take on Bach's "Jesu Joy" chorale was attractive, and the "Forever Variations" had some fun moments where the two pianists stretched out stylistically. But most of the other tracks are either meandering "pretty pieces," or near-misses like "Divertimento," which tries to be jazzy-classical but never really leaves the launching pad. The skill of both players is clearly evident, but after listening to the album more than once I have to admit there's nothing really memorable about the music they made in these sessions.
Biography
Born: December 25, 1939 in Marshall, MO
Genre: Jazz
Years Active: '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s, '00s, '10s
Top Albums and Songs By Bob James
| Name | Album | Time | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1 |
Angela (Theme from "Taxi") | Touchdown | 5:45 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
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2 |
Maputo | Double Vision | 6:48 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
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3 |
Westchester Lady | Three (feat. Grover Washington) | 7:27 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
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4 |
Nautilus | One | 5:05 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
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5 |
Kari | One On One | 6:30 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
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6 |
Touchdown | Touchdown | 5:44 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
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7 |
I'll Never See You Smile Again | One On One | 5:27 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
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8 |
Caribbean Nights | Touchdown | 9:20 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
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9 |
Sun Runner | Touchdown | 6:19 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
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10 |
Love Lips | One On One | 6:38 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
