MUSIC REVIEW : Electronic Haze Obscures Talent

SAN DIEGO —  Keiko Matsui is the new darling of the light jazz scene. Her Kewpie doll good looks, elegant, flowing clothes and the simple keyboards melodies she writes are audience pleasers.

She has played San Diego often in recent months, but Wednesday night, she proved just how popular she has become, selling 800 of 1,000 seats at Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay. This time she shared the bill with fellow keyboardist Dan Siegel.

Although her ethereal stage presence was enticing, the music proved she is still a journeyman searching for an identity. High wattage, high-tech tricks and banks of artificial fog couldn’t disguise the simple truth: at times, the music is downright boring.

Part of the problem is one of sheer dynamics and variety. For Matsui and her talented young band, there generally seemed to be one mode: full speed ahead, with guitar, sax, keyboards, drums and bass creating a towering wall of electronic sounds in which one instrument was often indistinguishable from another.

This was especially disappointing in the case of former Santana vocalist Greg Walker, who sat in on several tunes, and saxophonist Mike Acosta. Their earthy, natural sound was obscured in an electronic haze.

The lack of much-needed silences and space became most apparent when Matsui brought out her husband, Kazu, midway through the show.

His specialty is a delicate flute-like Japanese wind instrument called shakuhachi , and he is best known for his part on soundtracks of movies by George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and others.

In “Ancient Wind,” his playing was buried beneath a funky ruckus anchored by bassist Bruce Stone and drummer Bernie Dresel’s relentless attack. Adding in Ron Komie’s sizzling guitar--the sound of a collision between Al Dimeola and Eddie Van Halen--made the band more suited to a madhouse rock ‘n’ roll show.

A second tune including Kazu offered the evening’s highlight, as he and his wife danced a musical pas de deux, without other accompaniment. Sadly, this musical ballet soon degenerated into more slam dancing.

Matsui mixed tunes from her three albums, including the new “No Borders” and last year’s “Under Northern Lights.”

Her music is more enticing in recorded form, where the restraining hand of her producer husband keeps the players in check, giving each instrument the room it needs to be heard.

Keeping in mind that she’s only 28, Matsui has potential. She doesn’t possess the authority of a young Herbie Hancock or Chick Corea, two geniuses of electronic keyboards, but she’s bound to develop a more confident, personal style.

Opening act Dan Siegel suffered from the same kinds of maladies. He and his band mates often went for volume and speed over dynamics and sensitivity.

An extended mid-set solo keyboard piece roused the audience but didn’t contain any particularly astounding musical ideas.