Search - Harry Christophers, The Sixteen, Kaori Muraji :: Into the Light - featuring Kaori Muraji, Guitar

Japan's Greatest Guitarist

Jason T. Fetters | Tampa, FL The Sunshine State | 05/18/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It is a sad fact that Muraji Kaori is not well known in the US. She is easily Japan's greatest classical guitarist. I've recently started listening to people like Andres Segovia, Christpher Parkening, Julian Bream, Sharon Isbin, and John Williams. I would include Muraji in the very short list of great classical guitar players. I also heard an mp3 of Xuefie Yang playing from her CD Romance De Amor. A lot of the songs from Romance are also on Muraji's J. Rodrigo Concierto de Aranjuez. Xuefie playing is good but something was missing. I not sure what it was but it didn't move me. However, Muraji's playing also touches my heart, whether its Tango en Skai or her sad bitter sweet rendition of Cavatina from the Deerhunter, it never fails after repeating listening to move me. I'm not sure why this is. Both Yang and Muraji are excellent but Muraji has the right feeling and emotion that comes across in her playing.

I first saw her years again, on a Japanese TV commerical for some brand of green tea. She was playing El Colibri. Just on seeing how well she played on a short 30 second commerical, caused me to jump up and head to Tower records. I shyly entered the Classical section and bought 3 Japanese releases Concierto de Aranjuez, Cavatina, and Greensleeves at 3000 yen each. Her rendition of Greensleeves is the best I've heard recorded.

With all that said, I am happy that she signed to Decca, (the first and only Japanese artist to sign with them). I just wish Decca would do a much better job of promoting this great talent.

Into The Light adds another dimension to Muraji's virtuoso. Harry Christophers conducts The Sixteen vocal group in a way that adds an extra layer of richness to Muraji. Her guitar playing is brilliant throughout but she really shines on Villa-Lobos: Five Preludes, a moving rendition.

I was never really a big fan of classical music. I have some CDs like Beethoven's 9th Symphony and Bach's The Art of the Fugue, but it wasn't until I first heard Kaori that I started buying classical guitar cds.

It did open me up to a wide range of classical music.

The great thing about Muraji is that she has fun with it. Sure she does the serious classical. Yet, she also includes jazzy playful songs like My Favorite Things. She has another Decca release called Transformations. I do love her Japanese releases much more than the Decca recordings. While Into The Light is good, it doesn't really show off her true talent like the Japanese CDs. She needs better promotion and TV appearances in the US. Perlman's TV appearances are wonderful and I think she would be good too. There are clips of Muraji Kaori all over Youtube. Mostly from Japanese and Australian TV. I hope that she can make a name for herself over here in the same way that Goto Midori did."

Into the Light

Neev | Woodinville, Washington | 07/14/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A beautiful album. The Sixteen are wonderful and Kaori Muraji is incomparable. Her guitar matches perfectly with the quiet, antique-flavored music. This CD is a happy combination of well chosen music intelligently arranged and presented in a sumptuous package of beautiful vocals and that quiet, supportive guitar. Lovely.

"