MIKI's CD

	MY SECRET LIFE MK-4315(WQCL-30) WARNER MUSIC JAPAN INC 1992 Billy Higgins (drums) David Williams(bass) kanae yori(vocals)	This recording,which is her first,gives evidence to the fact that her playing is firmly rooted in the modern jazz tradition. Her playing reveals both intelligence and emotion. Also evident is her ability to compose flowing melodies over sophisticated harmonies and exciting rhythms. I think this recording is proof that Miki Kono has enormous talent and will be heard from again and again. Kenny Barron
	MANHATTAN DREAMS MK-9315 MIKI RECORD 1994 Al Foster(drums) Paul West(bass) Houston Person(sax)	Anyone fortunate enough to have an opportunity to listen to Miki Kono's CD will be magically transported into a world of pleasing,stimulating and provocative musical experiences. Her inventiveness,lively imagination,and creativity fill the consciousness with everchanging vistas of brilliant color. I believe that anyone listening to Miki Kono's CDs would have to reach the conclusion that :Here is a wonderfully fresh and marvelous talent who should and will be heard from much, much more in the future. Hank Jones
	FOR MY MOTHER MK-7315 MIKI RECORD 1997 Joe Chambers(drums) Rufus Reid(bass) Patric Rickman(trumpet)	From her native Japan,pianist Miki Kono visits New York frequently where this (her third) album was recorded with bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Joe Chambers. In her fanciful,fluid Kenny Barron-styled ballads, Kono's light touch exudes underlying energy. She beguiles with pleasing melodies,catchy rythms and adds special sparkle to uptempo numbers.As composer of all but one of ten tunes,she truly shines. Inspired ,comfortably-locked teamwork,augumented by trumpeter Patric Rickman,contributes to this tasteful session. Nancy Ann Lee(Jazz Time)
	Are You Married... MK-0315(VACV-0012) MIKI RECORD 2001 Rufus Reid(bass) Carl Allen(drums) Hiromi Masuda(sax)	O's Place/Miki Kono - Are you married... O's place Are you married... Stellites -Swing Miki Kono Performance:4 Sound:4 Miki's piano style is sometimes bubbly,sometimes gentle but always sound! The core trio includes veterans Rufus Reid (bass) and Carl Allen(drums) who make their presence felt on the lower registers.Hiromi Masuda adds sax on four of the cuts. The music swings! Oscar Groomes
	Reminiscing MK-5315 MIKI RECORD 2006 Rufus Reid(bass) Jonathan Blake(drums) Hiromi Masuda(sax) Akemi Ota(flute)	It is always a pleasure for me to make a recording with Miki, but this particular one is extra special. Her compositions are excellent and are arranged with care. I feel the chemistry between Hiromi Masuda, Akemi Ota, and Miki is special and made this music truly sparkle. It also made it easier for Jonathan Blake and me to get closer to the music much quicker. As artist, we all strive to improve as we mature. However, it usually is difficult to see growth in ourselves. In my opinion, Miki Kono's piano playing, compositions, and confidence are certainly improving on all levels. BRAVO! Ms. Kono and thank you for inviting me to participate on this recording. I had a great time! Rufus Reid

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Jazz at a Glance Volume 154 Jazzreview.com Featured Artist: Miki Kono CD Title: Are you married... Year: 2001 Record Label: Miki Records/Satellites Records Style: Straight-Ahead / Classic Musicians: Miki Kono (piano), Rufus Reid (bass), Carl Allen (drums), Hiromi Masuda (alto sax) Review: Miki Kono begins to charm you before you've even begun to listen to this CD. The cover photo of her seated at her piano and smiling back at the camera warmly can't help but catch your eye, and the artist's liner notes reveal a mildly self-deprecating humor that is very engaging. When you put the CD in the player, it just gets better. The CD consists mainly of original compositions, mostly ballads and mostly very pretty. The music is captivating from the very first track, a trio rendition of the title song featuring some very tasty Monk-like phrasing from bandleader/composer Miki Kono and some fine playing by the venerable bassist Rufus Reid. The song reappears later in a slightly faster quartet version that finds Kono exchanging its phrases with saxophonist Hiromi Masuda. Kono chose an interesting trio of standards to cover, from J.J. Johnson's "Lament, to Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" to Bach's "Air on the G-string." Though, in theory, this represents a spectrum from pure jazz to pure classical, the trio of Kono, Reid and drummer Carl Allen reveal the jazz implications of all three compositions. On "Air on the G-String," Kono's playing finds the beauty of Bach's melody in her statement of the theme before the group engages on a really swinging improvisation. The Gershwin piece is very cleverly arranged, Kono introducing it traditionally with her impeccable solo playing, before taking it through a scherzo segment and closing it at a samba rhythm. This album is a winner, melodically rich and thoroughly engaging. That Kono is classically trained is evidenced not only by her choice of songs, but also by the elegance and precision of her playing. That she is well versed in jazz as well is everywhere apparent on this recording. Record Label Website: http://www.satellitesrecords.com Reviewed by: Edward Kane

BEST RECORDINGS STEREO CD優秀録音 アー・ユー・マリード ピアニスト河野三紀のピアノ・トリオにサックスが加わる。ニュージャージーでの録音であるが、むしろ国内レコーディング的な緻密なサウンドに好感が持てる。各音像に充分に豊かな肉付きを与え、躍動させるウェル・バランスのレコーディング・パターン。オーディオ・ソースとして見逃せない１枚である。

Introduction of "FOR MY MOTHER" Featured Artist: Miki Kono Jazz pianist Miki Kono is a pure spirit who performs her music more to indulge in the joy of creation rather than pursuing fame,critical acclaim or financial success.However,with the release of her first American album,For my mother on Satellites Records,she may soon find she has earned recognition among jazz fans and built an appreciative audience. For my mother is Kono's third album to be released in Japan,her homeland. After recording the albums,she released them in Japan on her own label,Miki Records,as a means of expressing herself and offering her musical message to the world."I never expected success,or even for others to respond."she states.But the albums have become popular among those who have seen her perform in Japanat the clubs and hotels.In addition,when the music was heard by Ryo Kawasaki,owner of Satellites Records and a renowned jazz guitarist,he insisted on releasing it in the United States."Miki plays pure,classic jazz piano that touches you with its directness and deceptively gentle power."says Kawasaki. "The jazz I play comes from the research of myself and includes my emotion and intelligence,my experience in life,my everything."explains Miki.(pronounced Me-key)."Every kind of music I love is mixed up inside me and the melodies come out concentrated into a certain feeling. For my mother,recorded in New York City in October 1996,features Kono on acoustic grand piano backed by three American top jazz musicians- bassist Rufus Reid,Joe Chambers and trumpet player Patric Rickman.Recorded "live in the sudio"as a hot classic,mainstream　jazz trio augmented to a quartet with the addition of brass in three tracks).Kono shows a dedication,understanding and respect for straight-ahead playing. Her nine original melodies-plus a cover of Bill Evance'"Waltz for Debby"-demonstrate a mature elegance and heartfelt love of performance in every note. Miki and the band lay down strong,lyrical melodies followed by on-the-mar,to-the-point improvisation.She met Joe Chambers in 1983 when he was touring Japan with Freddie Hubbard.Later Miki became acquanted with Rufus Reid,who had been touring with trombonist J.J.Johnson.Ever since then she has wanted to record with this rhyhm section,but it wasn't until early 1996 that she conceived of the For my mother project,contacted the musicians,sent them demos of the music to study,and made arrangemedts to record in New York "They understood my music very well.When I play with other musicians,the music becomes the means of communications between us wth each of us becoming naked souls reaching out to each other." Kono states. Whether it's laying back while Reid steps out with a bass solo(as in "For my mother")or the piano-trumpet interplay on "That's life"Miki shows a distinguished grasp of the jazz idiom and the dynamics of acoustic trio/quatet configurations. The first tune and the title track,"For my mother"was created to "thank her" explains Miki."My mother does her best for her family at the sacrifice of her own life.She ha a limitless love and is a warm-hearted,beatiful creature." Kono wrote "Everything is gonna be alright"to raise her spirit after "I got shocked when I found the man I loved was telling me a lie for a long time."Her positive outlook is repeted for the mood of "That's life"which she explains by saying,"Every experience may be useful in the future so just take it easy!" The tune "Jet lag"captures that feeling of "life between reality and a dream." Miki wrote "Song for Michael"in" memory of the man whom I met in Central park in 1977 when I first visited New York. Kono says,"When I adore someone I respect very much from the bottom of my heart,I wish I could be a part of him.This is the feeling behind "I belong to you" Miki shows her forthright independence with the piece "Mind control"(Don't let your mind be controlled,be yourself!" The "love lost" theme permeates two other tunes-the solo piano"With broken heart"(Once I loved a man too much and jealousy destroyed our relationship completely.)and "Daydrream" ("The love which disappeared too easily seems to have been just a daydream") When Miki was young,her world centered on classical music,Her father ,a doctor,loved classical music and took her many classical concerts.She began studing classical piano at age eight.In addition,when she was a teenager she developed a real interest in "Cansone"(traditional itItalian folk music) "In my college days,my cousin,who was a crazed jazz fan,took me to the jazz coffee shop in Sapporo.When I first listened jazz there,I felt this was the music I had to study immediately. She quickly began an appreciation of jazz and became a fan of Sonny Clark,Tommy Flanagan.Kenny Barron,Herbie Hancock and Hank Jones.While attending college,she played with the big band and jazz ensemble at Hokkaido University,where she demonstrated her well-rounded aptitude by majoring in agriculture and economics. Kono's professional career began in Sapporo and continued in Tokyo,where she studied under renowned Japanese pianist Sadayasu Fujii.A fan of many American jazz artist,Kono felt fortunate to have the opportunity to meet some of them when they toured Japan.As a result,she became friends with such luminaries as Al Foster.Cedar Walton,Kenny Barron,and her favorite jazzman,Hank Jones. Kono's first album.My secret life,was released inJapan in 1992,and was inspired by jazz pianist Kenny Barron,Her second recording,Manhattan dreams,continued to explore the influential peaple (such as her "idol"Hank Jones)and places in her life.She has visited New York often during the past 20 years,and loves the energy the city offers. "With my music,I try to communicate with the listener.As long as my music is genuine,I'm sure I can share my life with many people through the music."

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