Joe Hisaishi
made a name for himself over the course of decades, with atmospheric scoring for a huge number of films (the acclaim has come mostly for
Hayao Miyazaki
's films, but his career has been huge). Despite the nearly endless success, he has always been regarded as a composer rather than a performer. On the 2002 album
Encore
,
Hisaishi
played solo piano as he made his way through a number of his own compositions -- classics reworked as solo modern classical pieces. Fine piano playing cements the album throughout as an excellent showcase of
's classic pieces in a new light. ~ Adam Greenberg