by Jim Hynes, Making A Scene
“This is our second entry for Miki Yamanaka, who’s stunning 2020 Human Dust Suite we covered on these same pages. She returns with a more intimate recording, Stairway to the Stars, her third album, this time with a drumless trio featuring returning bassist Orlando le Fleming and acclaimed saxophonist Mark Turner. The album was recorded in Yamanaka’s home studio during the NYC shutdown instead of its original plan to be recorded live in front of an audience at Mezzrow Club during one of Yamanaka’s weekend performances. Here the Japanese-born pianist sticks strictly to piano, having also played vibraphone on the previous recording. She delivers just two originals: “Oatmeal and “Wonder” but displays a keen melodic and rhythmic sense throughout, sometimes playing just with the bassist and other times as a trio.”
Read the full review here.