When Square Enix released their debut jazz album focusing exclusively on Final Fantasy music, few could have predicted the creative direction the series would take next. The second installment, unceremoniously titled Square Enix Jazz Vol.2, broke from convention by refusing to limit itself to any single franchise. This decision, while seemingly unremarkable on the surface, resulted in what many consider the finest entry in the entire six-album jazz series. By giving arrangers Eijiro Nakagawa and Ryu Kawamura unrestricted access to the publisher’s vast musical catalog, the album delivers an eclectic celebration of video game music spanning decades of beloved titles.
The album’s modest naming convention belies its ambitious scope. Unlike its predecessor, which drew exclusively from the Final Fantasy well, Vol.2 ventures into territory that includes SaGa, Mana, Chrono Trigger, and even the hauntingly beautiful NieR soundtrack. This cross-franchise approach allows listeners to experience familiar melodies reimagined through the lens of jazz improvisation and arrangement. Perhaps most significantly, the album addresses notable omissions from the first volume by including material from Final Fantasy XII and Final Fantasy XV, two entries whose orchestral compositions translate remarkably well to the jazz idiom.
Opening Strong: SaGa and the Legendary Dancing Mad
The album opens with “The Legend Begins” from SaGa 2 (known in Western markets as Final Fantasy Legend II), a game that originally appeared on the Game Boy in 1990. The arrangement begins with a delicate piano introduction before evolving into a groove-heavy piece where drums and bass provide the foundation while guitar trades melodic duties with the horn section. What makes this arrangement particularly impressive is how the energy transforms dramatically without any significant tempo changes. The added syncopation from the bass creates an entirely fresh listening experience while honoring the source material’s nostalgic charm.
The second track delivers one of the album’s most ambitious arrangements: Final Fantasy VI’s iconic boss theme “Dancing Mad.” This piece, originally composed by the legendary Nobuo Uematsu, accompanied players during their climactic battle with the villainous Kefka in 1994. The jazz arrangement focuses on the composition’s final movement and runs an impressive five minutes despite its brisk tempo. Drummer Ken Higeshiro channels the spirit of big band legends like Benny Goodman while navigating the unconventional 15/8 time signature. The ensemble moves seamlessly between moments of genuine terror and playful mischief, culminating in the inclusion of Kefka’s signature laugh sound effect—a loving tribute that longtime fans will immediately appreciate.
Hits and Misses: NieR and the Challenge of Adaptation
Not every track on Vol.2 reaches the same heights. The arrangement of NieR’s “Song of the Ancients” represents one of the album’s more controversial choices. The original version, featuring Emi Evans’ ethereal vocals in a fictional language, created an atmosphere that proved difficult to replicate with traditional jazz instrumentation. The swing syncopation feels somewhat mismatched with the source material’s melancholic nature, and the brass section struggles to capture what made Evans’ performance so memorable. However, arranger Ryu Kawamura partially redeems the track with creative reharmonization choices in the second half that breathe new life into the arrangement. This track serves as a reminder that not all video game music translates equally well to jazz, though the attempt itself demonstrates admirable artistic ambition.
Square Enix’s history with jazz arrangements extends beyond this album series. The company has long recognized the versatility of its musical catalog, which spans over four decades of game development. Composers like Nobuo Uematsu, Yoko Shimomura, Hitoshi Sakimoto, and Kenji Ito created works that, while designed for specific gaming contexts, contain melodic and harmonic structures sophisticated enough to support extensive jazz interpretation. This foundation explains why the Square Enix Jazz series has found such a devoted audience among both gaming enthusiasts and jazz aficionados who may have never touched a controller.
Final Fantasy XII and XV: Filling the Gaps
The inclusion of Final Fantasy XII and XV material addresses significant gaps left by the first album. Hitoshi Sakimoto’s “Flash of Steel” from FFXII receives a treatment that transforms its John Williams-inspired orchestral grandeur into something reminiscent of Final Fantasy X-2’s more upbeat sensibilities. The intricate guitar work during the opening minute gives way to a horn section that evolves from supporting filler to dominant melodic carrier. For Final Fantasy XV, Nakagawa tackles “Apocalypsis Noctis,” Yoko Shimomura’s massive orchestral-plus-choir piece that originally accompanied battles with the game’s Astrals. The jazz version strips away the bombast in favor of a softer, more brooding approach, with flutist Ryoji Ihara emerging as the star while pianist Takana Miyamoto demonstrates complex reharmonization techniques throughout.
The avant-garde spirit reaches its peak with Kawamura’s arrangement of “Swivel” from Seiken Densetsu 3 (released internationally as Trials of Mana). This track maintains the folksy essence of the original through its whirling 12/8 tempo and Yu Manabe’s fiddle-inspired violin work. The decision to let the ending build toward cacophony before collapsing captures the playful spirit of the source material perfectly. The use of vibraphone tones, likely produced through Miyamoto’s synthesizer rather than actual mallet percussion, adds textural variety that enriches the overall arrangement.
Following Vol.2’s release, Square Enix continued expanding their jazz catalog with dedicated albums for Final Fantasy VII, the SaGa series, and Chrono Trigger. Each of these releases offers focused explorations of their respective franchises, yet none quite captures the adventurous spirit of Vol.2’s buffet-style approach. For collectors and newcomers to the Square Enix Jazz series alike, this album represents the ideal starting point—a comprehensive showcase of what happens when talented arrangers are given creative freedom to explore one of gaming’s most storied musical libraries.
Expert Opinion: Square Enix Jazz Vol.2 represents a pivotal moment in video game music appreciation, demonstrating that gaming soundtracks possess the harmonic complexity and melodic sophistication to support serious jazz interpretation. As the industry continues exploring orchestral concerts and symphonic tributes, jazz arrangements offer a more intimate, improvisational alternative that reveals new dimensions in familiar compositions. This album’s cross-franchise approach may well influence future video game music projects to embrace similar eclecticism.