Jazz Articles about Hiromi

Hiromi: Spectrum

by Jim Worsley
September 27, 2019

In an interview in 2019, legendary double bassist Ron Carter discussed his solo record All Alone (EmArcy, 1988). He stated that, “I wanted each track to have its own story. It wouldn't sound like the last tune or the next tune." If Hiromi had this mindset going into Spectrum, then in baseball terminology, she hit a home run. Perhaps, more like a grand slam. She wastes no time in this carefully structured solo endeavor, diving into and broadly ...

Hiromi: Hiromi & Edmar Castaneda Live In Montreal

by Jeff Winbush
February 10, 2018

Here's a good rule of thumb to consider when reviewing a jazz record and by that, I mean any jazz record. Jazz music is live music so if it sounds good in the studio will it sound even better on the stage? In other words, if you're willing to pay $50 for a ticket, you're probably not getting burned spending $15 for a record. Of course, if it's a live album and Hiromi & Edmar Castenda/Live in Montreal ...

Hiromi and Edmar Castaneda at Blue Note Milano

by Carlo Mogavero
October 20, 2017

Hiromi at the Catalina Jazz Club

by Jim Worsley
October 9, 2017

Hiromi TrioCatalina Jazz Club Hollywood, CA August 6, 2017 We were amongst only a handful of early arrivals for a show at the Catalina Jazz Club in North Hollywood CA. A quite casually dressed Asian woman was on the stage carefully cleaning and fussing about on the piano. Her shoulder length hair covered much of her face as she leaned over and delicately manicured this fine instrument. A few minutes had passed when she turned ...

Hiromi: The Trio Project at the Annenberg Center Live

by Geno Thackara
April 4, 2016

Hiromi: The Trio Project Annenberg Center Live Philadelphia, PA April 1, 2016 She walks onstage without a word, makes sure to gesture towards the other players for their share of applause, and gives the cheering a minute to subside before getting down to business. The first song starts with a light cascade of high piano notes, the kind of slow intro that could usher in a classic acoustic set from any era. The crowd remains ...

Hiromi: Spark

by Jeff Winbush
April 1, 2016

There are three reasons why some people will not enjoy Spark, the fourth album from the Trio Project featuring Hiromi Uehara, the Japanese-born pianist and composer and drummer Simon Phillips and bassist Anthony Jackson:1. It's too complex. 2. It rocks too hard to be jazz. 3. It's long (72 minutes).None of these are good reasons. Here are three reasons which are good ones.1. Simplicity has its place. So does complexity. 2. Jazz is not ...

Hiromi: Alive

by Jeff Winbush
September 3, 2014

If jazz has become a niche market in the music industry (and it is), a contributing factor for its slide into cultural irrelevance is a failure to promote and support new artists. No matter what sub-genre of jazz you personally love, across the board there is no sustained effort to develop a roster of first-tier talent in jazz. Every so often along comes a Esperanza Spalding who joins the long list of previous “saviors" of jazz such as Wynton Marsalis ...