Whisper from the Mirror

Whisper from the Mirror is the seventh studio album by jazz keyboardist Keiko Matsui, released in 2000 on Narada Records. The album peaked at No. 8 on the US Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.

Critical reception

Jazz Times' Hilarie Grey, in a review of the album, claimed "A commercially successful artist can afford to take a risk with an artistic departure, as a built-in fan base will be there to tune in. In the case of keyboardist Keiko Matsui’s Whisper From the Mirror those fans will be rewarded with a richly atmospheric collection showcasing the emotional nuance of Matsui’s classically wrought piano work."
William Rhulmann of AllMusic, in a 4/5-star review,also wrote "Keiko Matsui is usually classified as a jazz musician, which tends to mean that she doesn't get very good reviews, since she is reviewed by jazz critics, while her music actually is best described as a hybrid consisting of equal parts pop, jazz, and new age. Matsui can be an impressive keyboard soloist at times, but her recordings consist of textured tracks that find her featured playing set within a soundscape characterized by synthesized drums and strings. Whisper From the Mirror, her 11th album, is typical of her work, consisting of a series of four- and five-minute instrumental pieces full of shimmering, sustained sounds that pillow Matsui's delicate single-note runs and stately chord patterns."

Personnel

Arranger – Derek Nakamoto
Mastering – Steve Hall
Mixing – Craig Burbidge, Derek Nakamoto
Piano – Bob James, Keiko Matsui
Producer – Kazu Matsui
Programming – Derek Nakamoto
Shakuhachi – Kazu Matsui
Synthesizer – Derek Nakamoto