Masako - Call of the Mountains (2014)

This is a highly anticipated second album to follow up the critically acclaimed debut CD, "MASAKO." This new album features her pianism even more than the first album.

Some of the Reviews and Artist Bio

"Just what the Solo Piano genre needed; here we have an album jam packed to the top with total class and creativity, an album superbly produced by Ackerman and Eaton to such a fine level…an album that will move you, bring you peace and liberate you…an album that I would personally recommend for you to place in your musical collection."
- Steve sheppard, One World Music


“Masako's sophomore release, Call of the Mountains, is another enjoyable collection of understated, lyrical, and evocative compositions … The overriding sensation is of the artist's expressive sensitivity and tender soulfulness. Masako's playing is engaging from the first note to the last… Call of the Mountains is a recording to savor time and time again, absorbing every nuance of melody, tone and mood. - Bill Binkelman, Zone Music Reporter


"That such perfection and such depth of emotion coexist in her work is the holy grail of recording and production for me…performances of such quality that are so rare as to be nearly mythical.” - Will Ackerman, founder of Windham Hill Records



Masako is a Japanese-born pianist and composer living in the Northeastern USA. She started taking piano lessons at the age of four. She had the privilege of being a student of Ms. Yuko Yamaoka, a judge for the International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow, and Mr. Takehiro Honda, the pianist for the world-renowned jazz saxophonist Sadao Watanabe. She was a Music House Moz artist in Japan and performed in clubs in and around Tokyo as a keyboardist. Aside from music, Masako has a vast interest in visual arts, especially in fashion design and dance. In fact, she was professionally trained as a fashion designer at Bunka Fashion College in Japan. She believes her interests in visual arts have a profound influence on her music compositions.

TRACKLIST
01 Dawn
02 Kindness from Strangers
03 Bigfoot Forest
04 Watching the Clouds
05 A Highland Tale
06 Reflections
07 The Day of Crossing the Hudson
08 Mountain Trolley Remembered
09 Purple Indulgence
10 Wildflowers
11 Blue Blaze
12 Precious
13 The Other Side of Tristesse
14 Smoky Rain
15 Mt. Katahdin
16 Lullaby for the Hills