SONG REVIEW π΅π Matt Johnson – For Good
Matt Johnson - For Good Jazz US Overall Impression: There’s something quietly courageous about taking on “For Good”—a song so emotionally embedded in modern musical theatre—and stripping it back to a single instrument. Yet in his intimate piano interpretation of the Stephen Schwartz composition, performer and composer Matt Johnson does exactly that, and in doing so reveals new dimensions within the music’s already luminous heart. Best known from the Broadway phenomenon Wicked, “For Good” has long carried an innate tenderness. In its original form, the understated strings and fairytale-esque woodwinds wrap gently around the vocal performances, creating an atmosphere of hushed reflection and emotional reciprocity. It is intimate—but shared intimacy, built on dialogue and orchestral color. In this interpretation, the piano becomes both narrator and confidant. Without lyrics, without orchestration, the emotional core of “For Good” remains intact—arguably even magnif...