Makiko Hirabayashi - Makiko

2021 reissue

The Japanese pianist and composer Makiko Hirabayashi can be described as an obvious example of a cosmopolitan musician in today's multicultural jazz. Born in Tokyo, she grew up in Hong Kong, received her training in Boston, USA, and has lived in Denmark since 1990.

Her professional oeuvre is firmly based in Denmark's fertile music community, and she has never let stylistic restrictions hamper her. Numerous jazz and world music collaborations have enjoyed her talent. In 2001 she decided that the time was ripe to follow her own artistic path, and she formed this trio, which is still one of her steady groups. Her work with percussionist and drummer Marilyn Mazur (Miles Davis 85-89, Jan Gabarek 91-05, Wayne Shorter and many more) and bassist Klavs Hovman, opened many creative doors and was a maturing experience for the then 35-year old pianist.

In 2006, following much session work with other artists, she felt ready to debut in her own name. MAKIKO was released on the German label Enja, and the trio enjoyed fine reviews everywhere. Since then, they have toured internationally.

A lucid transparency is an important part of Makiko's and the trio's exquisite textural world, which always renders space to each instrument and individual personality. This intimate music soars with a wide wingspan. Makiko's firm but resonant touch, Hovman's authoritative and full bass, and the wonderful nuances and rhythmical complexities in Mazur's percussion and drumming, are all highlighted by a sublime recording by Bjarne Hansen in Copenhagen's Sun Studio.

One could say that her music plays hide and seek with the many influences from classical and ethnic music - and naturally Scandinavian sounds. Marilyn Mazur contributes three compositions to a CD overflowing with poetic moods, pleasant and surprising lyricism, new tonalities, different grooves, and intense and rough textures contrasting dark and light, structure and lack of structure, aggressiveness and reflection.

Makiko Hirabayashi has matured artistically, and developed as a pianist and composer. She has exploited her background with great skill to create an original and engaging idiom of her own. In a world that keeps shrinking, she is a fascinating and modern multicultural artist.