Emi Makabe - Anniversary [CD]

Born and raised in Japan but a decade-plus resident of New York, Makabe releases her debut album Anniversary, featuring her original songs – sung in English, Japanese and wordless vocalese – in airy, artful arrangements, with improvisation naturally part of the mix. The record features Emi on vocals and shamisen (a traditional Japanese string instrument) alongside a trio of New York jazz virtuosos: Vitor Gonçalves on piano/accordion, Thomas Morgan on bass, and Kenny Wollesen on drums/vibraphone.

Along with the shamisen-laced singles “Treeing” and “Flash,” highlights of Anniversary include the jazzy, melody-rich “O Street,” the otherworldly “Mielcke” and the romantic-minded title track. The album also features Emi’s apt setting of “Chimney Sweeper,” the sad-eyed poem by William Blake about a child abandoned. Bringing an intensely original mix of elements together into a fresh and personal statement, Emi presents a nice mixture of Japanese folk music and jazz improvisation.