Soul Eyes is the 8th album at NativeDSD featuring pianist Atzko Kohashi. The Stereo DXD recording was analog mixed and mastered through a high quality Analog Stereo chain to a Stereo PCM 768kHz Edit Master.

“The songs featured in this album are my longtime favorites. Just as children learn language by listening to adults speak, I have been repeatedly listening to many albums played by great jazz masters since I was a teenager, memorizing their phrases, trying them out, and nourishing myself with their music. The more I listen and the more I play, the more I realize that the great predecessors are just as distant and unreachable as the stars in the sky. Nevertheless, just as we never tire of looking at the beautiful starry sky, the joy of jazz is never-ending.

The title song, Soul Eyes (composed by Mal Waldron), is one of the songs in the repertoire of Steve Kuhn, a pianist who I admire and respect. I fell in love with this piece after listening to his interpretation. I imagine that when Steve Kuhn was in John Coltrane’s group, he must have played this song with Coltrane. I believe that the beautiful melodies of jazz – like traditional folk tales – have been passed down from generation to generation. I am happy to be one of those storytellers.

A heartfelt thanks to Frans de Rond and Peter Bjørnild at Sound Liaison for making this special recording.” 

Atzko Kohashi, Pianist