Record Reviews
20 Reviews Found. Use search to find more reviews or follow the links in the review text.
  | STANLEY CLARKE ~ JAZZ IN THE GARDEN
HEADS UP 3155 (Barcode: 053361315528) ~ USA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2008 Released: 2009
What a delight it is to finally hear the veteran Master bassist / composer Stanley ClarkeFind albums by this artist doing what he does best – play Jazz; even better when he does so in my favorite Jazz format – the piano trio; but wait, it gets even better: Clarke´s companions on this exquisite album are no others that my favorite representative of the young generation of Jazz pianists – Japanese virtuoso Hiromi UeharaFind albums by this artist and his drummer is no other than an old cohort Lenny WhiteFind albums by this artist. Proving me wrong, when I often say: "they don´t play that kind of music any more", this trio just soars from start to finish, playing their heart out, and believe me they all have huge hearts. Apart from the virtuosity and panache, these players have the "feel" like only very few others, turning the piano trio format into an entire orchestra of sounds, rhythms and emotions. I´m especially happy for Stanley, as his solo recording career suffered from many far from brilliant releases and this is the album he deserved for such a long time. Let´s all enjoy this momentous occasion and bask in the wonderful sounds this album is so full of. The music is a mixture of originals by Clarke, and Uehara with a few standards added for good measure. It goes without saying that every piano trio enthusiast simply must have this album, but any music lover will find here the super-rare commodity available these sad (for music) days – great music. Grab it!
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | STANLEY CLARKE ~ THE STANLEY CLARKE BAND
HEADS UP 3161 (Barcode: 053361316129) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 2010 Released: 2010
The legendary bassist / composer Stanley ClarkeFind albums by this artist, one of the great forefathers of Jazz-Rock Fusion since the early 1970s, obviously has no intention of retiring and his recent wave of hectic activity (the Return To ForeverFind albums by this artist reunion, tours and solo albums) find him at the best form since many years. This energetic and somewhat "youthful" album presents him surrounded by musicians, who are much younger then him, and manage to invigorate his performances significantly. He takes many solos, which of course make all bass players envious and jealous on one hand and respectful on the other. A long list of excellent guest musicians performing on this album promises (and delivers) a lot of diversity, with the brilliant Japanese pianist Hiromi UeharaFind albums by this artist in the lead. This album is a perfect proof of the fact that age has nothing to do with the passing years. Highly recommended!
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | CHICK COREA / NICOLAS ECONOMOU ~ ON TWO PIANOS
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 028947900115 (Barcode: 028947900115) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion
Recorded: 1982 Released: 2012
Pianist / composer Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist is well known for his amazing versatility (among other things), which is expressed by the many different settings in which he performs. His love for the piano duet is universally acclaimed, starting with his legendary duet recordings / performances with Herbie HancockFind albums by this artist in the late 1970s. Since then he repeatedly returned to the piano duet with many other pianists, like Hiromi UeharaFind albums by this artist, Stefano BollaniFind albums by this artist and others. This album is a most welcome reissue of the 1982 recording of the piano duet performances with Corea and the great Cypriot pianist Nicolas EconomouFind albums by this artist, who died tragically at the ridiculous early age of 40 in a car accident. The live recording comprises of two improvised pieces (one of which is an extended suite 26 minutes long), two Corea compositions and six short pieces from the Bela BartokFind albums by this artist "Mikrokosmos" cycle. The performances are, as one might expect, absolutely brilliant and although Economou comes primarily from the Classical music sphere, the two musicians converse openly and quite telepathically. Considering the fact that these recordings were never previously reissued on CD and unavailable for almost 30 years, it´s great to see them back in circulation. A must to all Corea fans and people who lave piano music!
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | CHICK COREA / HIROMI UEHARA ~ DUET
STRETCH 230827 (Barcode: 888072308275) ~ USA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2007 Released: 2008
We all know Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist loves playing piano duets with other pianists. The legendary recordings from 1978 with Herbie HancockFind albums by this artist are to this very day some of my all time favorite Jazz recordings. Seeing this new album, featuring acoustic piano duets with another favorite pianist of mine, Japanese prodigy Hiromi UeharaFind albums by this artist, really made my heart “jump” for a brief moment, as this was almost to good to be true. I did know these two played live together before, but a whole album and a double one at that – stupendous! The album was recorded live at the Blue Note Jazz Club in Tokyo, and includes, as Chick puts it, eloquently as always: “1 night, 2 pianos, 2 sets, 4 hands, 12 songs, 20 fingers, 176 keys, about 600 people in the audience and thousands of musical ideas exchanging between the two pianist and the audience”. It is exactly that and so much more… Regardless is the song is a standard, a piece written by Chick or by Hiromi, the two have a field day each and every time. The interplay is telepathic, the improvisations divine, the humor obvious and it all makes perfect musical sense and is so beautiful, that I had a marvelous time listening to the album twice in a row, something I almost never do usually. I hope I really don’t have to convince anybody this is superb music. Let me just state that in the last couple of years I have heard so much stupid allegations regarding Hiromi’s “commercialism”, “selling out” and other bullshit, I’m really glad that this album just blows all these baseless nonsense out of the window. Absolutely essential music for body and soul!
| | | CD 2 Recommend To A Friend |
  | HIROMI UEHARA ~ ALIVE
TELARC 35307 (Barcode: 888072353077) ~ JAPAN ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014
This is the ninth album by the extraordinary Japanese female pianist / composer Hiromi UeharaFind albums by this artist, and the third recording with her current trio (called The Trio ProjectFind albums by this artist) with the legendary veteran American bassist Anthony JacksonFind albums by this artist and the outstanding British drummer Simon PhillipsFind albums by this artist. The album comprises of nine original compositions, all by Hiromi.
Seeing Hiromi on stage, which I was fortunate to experience once again just a few weeks ago (with drummer Steve SmithFind albums by this artist replacing the otherwise busy Simon Phillips), clearly reaffirms the impression that Hiromi is in a class of her own, blessed by powers like a force of Nature. The moment she steps on the stage the fragile and modest women turns into a Diva with an irresistible personality and overwhelming performing skills, simply stunning her audiences for the entire duration of the concert. She is a complete pianist, able to play in every style and in every genre with the same ease and elegance, regardless if she plays a Classical piece or a Jazz improvisation or a Rocky riff.
The Trio Project finds Hiromi supported by two Masters of their trade, which turn it into a mean and lean music machine, which is unstoppable. With this trio Hiromi consistently moves away from the traditional Jazz environment and creates her own niche, which is somewhere in between Fusion, Prog and Vaudeville. Jackson lays a wonderful background sound upon which Hiromi´s improvisations ride securely and confidently. Phillips is right behind her, supporting her every move and emphasizing the rhythmical structures, forcefully but non-aggressively.
As a composer Hiromi manages to come up every time with a set of superbly melodic pieces, which manage to sound different from everything she did earlier and yet somehow are consistently familiar, even catchy, from the first time one listens to them. She surely is one of the best song-weavers on the contemporary scene, proving time after time that nice little tunes can be anything but trivial or simplistic. Such a collection of talents in several areas, like composition, performance and showmanship is very rare indeed.
With nine albums (and four DVDs) in just a decade Hiromi emerged as one of the most prolific, impressive and talented new arrivals on the world´s music scene, and she absolutely deserves every bit of the admiration and following she enjoys all over the world.
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | HIROMI UEHARA ~ ANOTHER MIND
TELARC 83558 (Barcode: 089408355820) ~ JAPAN ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2003 Released: 2003
1st album by Japanese pianist Hiromi UeharaFind albums by this artist, who stormed the jazz world with her dazzling technique. Born 1979 (which means she was only 24 when this album was recorded), she received a full scholarship at the Berklee School of Music in Boston, where she met and amazed many famous jazz musicians and eventually accepetd the legendary pianist Ahmed JamalFind albums by this artist as her mentor (Jamal co-produced this album). She wrote all the music and she performs it mostly in a trio setting with an almost demonic energy and amazing stamina. She plays with a speed of a Ferrari and elegance of a Lamborghini, absolutely breathtaking. This is a kind of album you need to follow with an hour of silence just to get your breath back. The famous TelarcFind albums on this label sound quality does not disappoint as well. If you are still thinking about ordering this CD - you are really slow ;)
| | | CD 1 Digipak Audiophile Recommend To A Friend |
  | HIROMI UEHARA ~ BEYOND STANDARD
TELARC 83686 (Barcode: 089408368622) ~ JAPAN ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 2008 Released: 2008
5th album by Japanese keyboardist / composer Hiromi UeharaFind albums by this artist, which continues her drift from classical Jazz recordings towards Jazz-Rock Fusion. As the title suggests, Hiromi performs here her stormy interpretations of Jazz standards (only one of her original compositions is included here) with her quartet, which includes David FiuczynskiFind albums by this artist on guitar, Tony GreyFind albums by this artist on bass and Martin ValihoraFind albums by this artist on drums. This album is definitely her most Fusion oriented recording so far, with Hiromi using the synthesizers to extreme and David’s electric guitar wilder than ever. Of course she plays lots of acoustic piano passages as well, but the entire atmosphere of the album is definitely Fusion oriented. The performances are absolutely brilliant, as expected, and most importantly Hiromi’s arrangements succeed in igniting new fire in some of the standards, that have been previously used to death by so many Jazz musicians. She has a brilliant pair of ears and her youthful spirit, combined with extraordinary virtuosity, place her right on top of the new Jazz generation. Of course Jazz purists often criticize the Fusion direction (still 40 years after Fusion was “invented”), accusing her of commercialism and other nonsense. Well, she just released an album of acoustic piano duets with Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist, spitting in the face of her accusers. Anybody with a pair of clean ears and some musical sensitivity should be able to hear Hiromi’s genius, regardless of what she plays, I certainly do. This is a brilliant Fusion album, full of great music, superb performances and joie de vivre, which are so often missing from contemporary Jazz recordings. Brilliant stuff!
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  | HIROMI UEHARA ~ BRAIN
TELARC 83600 (Barcode: 089408360022) ~ JAPAN ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2004 Released: 2004
2nd album by the amazing Japanese pianist Hiromi UeharaFind albums by this artist. Hiromi uses the piano trio setting again, which is of course ideal for her astounding technique. She also composed all the music, same as on her outstanding debut. Her virtuosity is apparent form the first seconds the music starts to play and she manages to find new ways to amaze the listener as the album progresses. This dense, complex and yet melodic and well flowing musical barrage is just beyond words. Simply get it and listen...
| | | CD 1 Audiophile Recommend To A Friend |
  | HIROMI UEHARA ~ HIROMI`S SONICBLOOM LIVE IN CONCERT
TELARC 73699 (Barcode: 089408369995) ~ JAPAN ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 2006 Released: 2009
Japanese piano / keyboards virtuoso Hiromi UeharaFind albums by this artist is by now known worldwide as one of the most talented Jazz musicians of the new generation. Her ability to play classic modern Jazz as well as Jazz-Rock Fusion, both with incredible technical dexterity and artistic flair is completely unique and breathtaking. But as good as her studio albums are (and they are truly excellent), nothing presents Hiromi in a truer light than watching her perform live, and this DVD is the closest thing to the live experience many of her fans will ever get. This DVD was recorded around the time Hiromi was promoting her album "Time ControlFind albums with this title", playing with her quartet, which included guitarist David FiuczynskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Tony GreyFind albums by this artist and drummer Martin ValihoraFind albums by this artist. There is honestly very little I need to add here, except the fact that this is probably some of the greatest music you will ever hear / watch being performed, so don´t even think twice!
| | | DVD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | HIROMI UEHARA ~ LIVE IN CONCERT
TELARC 73698 (Barcode: 089408369896) ~ JAPAN ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2005 Released: 2009
Japanese piano / keyboards virtuoso Hiromi UeharaFind albums by this artist is by now known worldwide as one of the most talented Jazz musicians of the new generation. Her ability to play classic modern Jazz as well as Jazz-Rock Fusion, both with incredible technical dexterity and artistic flair is completely unique and breathtaking. But as good as her studio albums are (and they are truly excellent), nothing presents Hiromi in a truer light than watching her perform live, and this DVD is the closest thing to the live experience many of her fans will ever get. This DVD was recorded around the time Hiromi was promoting her album "SpiralFind albums with this title", playing with her first trio, which included bassist Tony GreyFind albums by this artist and drummer Martin ValihoraFind albums by this artist. There is honestly very little I need to add here, except the fact that this is probably some of the greatest music you will ever hear / watch being performed, so don´t even think twice!
| | | DVD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | HIROMI UEHARA ~ LIVE IN MARCIAC
TELARC 34112 ~ JAPAN ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2011 Released: 2011
This is the third DVD by the extraordinary Japanese female pianist / composer Hiromi UeharaFind albums by this artist, and the first outing with her current trio (called The Trio ProjectFind albums by this artist) with the legendary veteran American bassist Anthony JacksonFind albums by this artist and the outstanding British drummer Simon PhillipsFind albums by this artist.
The DVD comprises of seven original compositions by Hiromi and the trio´s interpretation of Ludwig van BeethovenFind albums by this artist´s sonata. Five of these pieces are from her seventh album called "VoiceFind albums with this title" (please follow the link to read more about this album), performed here live and in a slightly different order than on the studio album. Two more pieces originate from her debut album and the remaining one was previously unrecorded.
Seeing Hiromi on stage, which I was fortunate to experience several times already, clearly reaffirms the impression that Hiromi is in a class of her own and that she is blessed by powers of the magnitude of a force of Nature. The moment she steps on the stage the fragile and modest women turns into a Diva with an irresistible personality and overwhelming performing skills, simply stunning her audiences for the entire duration of the concert. She is a complete pianist, able to play in every style and in every genre with the same ease and elegance, regardless if she plays a Classical piece or a Jazz improvisation or a Rocky riff.
Of course a DVD is not exactly being there when this DVD was filmed, but it is as close as those who were not fortunate enough to be there in the flesh will ever get. Enjoy every moment of it!
| | | DVD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | HIROMI UEHARA ~ MOVE
TELARC 33814 ~ JAPAN ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2012 Released: 2012
This is the 8th album by the extraordinary Japanese pianist / composer Hiromi UeharaFind albums by this artist, and the 2nd recording with her current trio (called The Trio ProjectFind albums by this artist) with the wonderful veteran American bassist Anthony JacksonFind albums by this artist and the outstanding British drummer Simon PhillipsFind albums by this artist. The album comprises of nine original compositions, all by Hiromi, three of which are combined into a mini-suite.
During the last decade since Hiromi first "exploded" on the scene, drawing immediate attention, she managed to produce an extensive body of work of outstanding quality, which has very few, if any, parallels. Immensely gifted as a composer and blessed by virtuosic piano ability, in addition to her personal charm, beauty and above all heavenly smile, she is talent incarnate. Her studio albums, live videos and cooperation projects with other musicians, like Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist, Stanley ClarkeFind albums by this artist and others are all examples of her versatility and limitless abilities.
Hiromi´s output with this particular trio is some of her best, which is not surprising considering the level of experience and talent of her rhythm section. Jackson´s electric bass pulsations are funky and wonderfully fill the space between the piano chords, always exactly on time and in tune, beautifully supportive and inventive at once. Phillips, who is a very "busy" and dynamic drummer, suits her quirky music perfectly, seemingly being all over the drum set as if he was an octopus. The unity, perfect match and obvious musical coherence and almost telepathic mutual understanding turn this trio into a "scary" music making machine.
Hiromi is often criticized for being "all over the place", both as a composer and a player, but this kind of critique is completely senseless. She can play faster and more accurately than most, and her music is multi-layered, with melodic lines and funky rhythm vamps co-existing logically and harmonically. Therefore one can suspect that most of any criticism towards her is primarily motivated by envy.
This trio can be seen and heard playing live on the "Live In MarciacFind albums with this title" DVD, which was recorded a year earlier, performing mostly material from their debut album "VoiceFind albums with this title". Obviously Hiromi fans need no special arguments to grab this one ASAP, those who are still unfamiliar with her wonderful output should not waste any more time ignoring her, just give her a chance and you won´t regret it. Superb stuff!
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | HIROMI UEHARA ~ MOVE – LIVE IN TOKYO
TELARC 35561 (Barcode: 888072355613) ~ JAPAN ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014
This is the fourth DVD by the extraordinary Japanese female pianist / composer Hiromi UeharaFind albums by this artist, and the second outing with her current trio (called The Trio ProjectFind albums by this artist) with the legendary veteran American bassist Anthony JacksonFind albums by this artist and the outstanding British drummer Simon PhillipsFind albums by this artist.
The DVD comprises of nine original compositions, all by Hiromi, which are all from her eighth album called "MoveFind albums with this title" (please follow the link to read more about this album), performed here live and in a slightly different order than on the studio album.
Seeing Hiromi on stage, which I was fortunate to experience several times already, clearly reaffirms the impression that Hiromi is in a class of her own and that she is blessed by powers of the magnitude of a force of Nature. The moment she steps on the stage the fragile and modest women turns into a Diva with an irresistible personality and overwhelming performing skills, simply stunning her audiences for the entire duration of the concert. She is a complete pianist, able to play in every style and in every genre with the same ease and elegance, regardless if she plays a Classical piece or a Jazz improvisation or a Rocky riff.
Of course a DVD is not exactly being there when this DVD was filmed, but it is as close as those who were not fortunate enough to be there in the flesh will ever get. Enjoy every moment of it!
| | | DVD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | HIROMI UEHARA ~ PLACE TO BE
TELARC 83695 (Barcode: 089408369520) ~ JAPAN ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2009 Released: 2010
This is the 6th album by the excellent Japanese pianist / composer Hiromi UeharaFind albums by this artist and her first solo piano recording. Although preceded by the piano duets recorded with Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist, this album is much more of a personal statement, with eleven of the twelve tunes composed by Hiromi and her very emotional and expressive attitude on this album. Of course by now we all know that her virtuosity is beyond questioning and her contribution to Jazz and Fusion will hopefully grow even more in the years to come. In the meantime let´s enjoy this beautiful piece of music and rise out hats to the new generation of Jazz players, which Hiromi represents with dignity pride. Brilliant stuff!
| | | CD 1 Audiophile Recommend To A Friend |
  | HIROMI UEHARA ~ SPARK
TELARC 38247 (Barcode: 888072382473) ~ JAPAN ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016
This is the 10th studio album by the extraordinary Japanese female pianist / composer Hiromi UeharaFind albums by this artist, and the 4th (and sadly last) recording with her trio (called The Trio ProjectFind albums by this artist) with the legendary veteran American bass guitarist Anthony JacksonFind albums by this artist and the outstanding British drummer Simon PhillipsFind albums by this artist. The album comprises of nine original compositions, all by Hiromi.
Seeing Hiromi on stage, which I was fortunate to experience many times, clearly reaffirms the impression that Hiromi is in a class of her own, blessed by powers like a force of Nature. The moment she steps on the stage the fragile and modest women turns into a Diva with an irresistible personality and overwhelming performing skills, simply stunning her audiences for the entire duration of the concert. She is a complete pianist, able to play in every style and in every genre with the same ease and elegance, regardless if she plays a Classical piece or a Jazz improvisation or a Rocky riff.
The Trio Project finds Hiromi supported by two Masters of their trade, which turn it into a mean and lean music machine, which is unstoppable. With this trio Hiromi consistently moves away from the traditional Jazz environment and creates her own niche, which is somewhere in between Fusion, Prog and Vaudeville. Jackson lays a wonderful background sound upon which Hiromi´s improvisations ride securely and confidently. Phillips is right behind her, supporting her every move and emphasizing the rhythmical structures, forcefully but non-aggressively.
As a composer Hiromi manages to come up every time with a set of superbly melodic pieces, which manage to sound different from everything she did earlier and yet somehow are consistently familiar, even catchy, from the first time one listens to them. She surely is one of the best song-weavers on the contemporary scene, proving time after time that nice little tunes can be anything but trivial or simplistic. Such a collection of talents in several areas, like composition, performance and showmanship is very rare indeed.
Overall, this is a brilliant example of an extraordinary talent, which over time established Hiromi as one of the leading young Jazz stars in the world. Although some critics tried to classify her as a wunderkind, she proved beyond all doubt that she is the genuine talent in her own class.
| | Updated: 14/02/2025Posted: 14/02/2025 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | HIROMI UEHARA ~ SPIRAL
TELARC 83631 (Barcode: 089408363122) ~ JAPAN ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2005 Released: 2005
3rd album by this award winning and sensational Japanese pianist Hiromi UeharaFind albums by this artist. Hiromi keeps again to the piano trio format, but expands the horizons of what we know as jazz, by approaching the "orchestral" sound of the trio, especially in the almost 30 minutes long 4 piece suite called "Music for Three-Piece-Orchestra". The entire album consists of her original compositions, which are fascinating and enchanting, as usual. Her virtuoso performance breaks again the know limits of what is considered as humanly possibile on the piano. There are no words to express how good this music is, honestly!
Limited edition includes superb 5.1 DTS DVD
| | | CD+DVD 2 Audiophile Recommend To A Friend |
  | HIROMI UEHARA ~ TIME CONTROL
TELARC 83655 (Barcode: 089408365522) ~ JAPAN ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 2006 Released: 2007
4th album by Japanese keyboards player Hiromi UeharaFind albums by this artist firmly establishes her position as one of the brightest stars of contemporary jazz. Her amazing compositions and breathtaking virtuosity are constant factors present on all of hers albums so far, which of course makes it really easy to decide if one should get anything she puts her name to. Although deeply rooted in jazz, on this album Hiromi takes a step towards Fusion by expanding her regular trio into a quartet with the addition of superb guitarist David FiuczynskiFind albums by this artist. Being a strong soloist, Fiuczynski adds another dimension to the music and the fiery exchanges between his guitar and Hiromi’s keyboards bring back fond memories of similar exchanges between Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist and Al Di MeolaFind albums by this artist in Return To ForeverFind albums by this artist. But there is plenty of Hiromi playing the acoustic piano here to satisfy the more jazz oriented folks as well, so whichever way you look at this album it’s a gem. Anybody who already owns the previous Hiromi’s album will get this for sure but I urge people who are not familiar with her art to try her out – most of the people who listened to my (wholehearted) recommendations got hooked helplessly. Brilliant!
| | | CD 1 Audiophile Recommend To A Friend |
  | HIROMI UEHARA ~ VOICE
TELARC 32819 ~ JAPAN ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2010 Released: 2011
This is the seventh album by the extraordinary Japanese pianist / composer Hiromi UeharaFind albums by this artist, and the first recording with her current trio (called The Trio ProjectFind albums by this artist) with the wonderful veteran American bassist Anthony JacksonFind albums by this artist and the outstanding British drummer Simon PhillipsFind albums by this artist. The album comprises of eight original compositions, all by Hiromi, and an interpretation of a Classical piece (Ludwig van BeethovenFind albums by this artist´s piano sonata No. 8, "Pathetique").
During the last decade since Hiromi first "exploded" on the scene, drawing immediate attention, she managed to produce an extensive body of work of outstanding quality, which has very few, if any, parallels. Immensely gifted as a composer and blessed by virtuosic piano ability, in addition to her personal charm, beauty and above all heavenly smile, she is talent incarnate. Her studio albums, live videos and cooperation projects with other musicians, like Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist, Stanley ClarkeFind albums by this artist and others are all examples of her versatility and limitless abilities.
Hiromi´s output with this particular trio is some of her best, which is not surprising considering the level of experience and talent of her rhythm section. Jackson´s electric bass pulsations are funky and wonderfully fill the space between the piano chords, always exactly on time and in tune, beautifully supportive and inventive at once. Phillips, who is a very "busy" and dynamic drummer, suits her quirky music perfectly, seemingly being all over the drum set as if he was an octopus. The unity, perfect match and obvious musical coherence and almost telepathic mutual understanding turn this trio into a "scary" music making machine.
Hiromi is often criticized for being "all over the place", both as a composer and a player, but this kind of critique is completely senseless. She can play faster and more accurately than most, and her music is multi-layered, with melodic lines and funky rhythm vamps co-existing logically and harmonically. Therefore one can suspect that most of any criticism towards her is primarily motivated by envy.
This trio can be seen and heard playing live on the "Live In MarciacFind albums with this title" DVD, which was recorded a few months later, performing mostly material from this album. Obviously Hiromi fans need no special arguments to grab this one ASAP, those who are still unfamiliar with her wonderful output should not waste any more time ignoring her, just give her a chance and you won´t regret it. Superb stuff!
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | HIROMI UEHARA / EDMAR CASTANEDA ~ LIVE IN MONTREAL
TELARC 888072037212 (Barcode: 888072037212) ~ JAPAN ~ Jazz-World Fusion
Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017
This is a live duo album by Japanese pianist / composer Hiromi UeharaFind albums by this artist and Colombian harpist / composer Edmar CastanedaFind albums by this artist, recorded during the 2017 Montreal Jazz Festival. The album presents nine tracks, including a four-part suite, five of which were composed by Uehara, two by Castaneda and two more are by other composers.
Since her arrival on the Jazz scene Hiromi (her stage name) took the world by storm, dazzling fellow musicians and fans by her incredible technique, virtuosity and energy. She is certainly one of the most amazing concert artists, which I have been lucky to witness many times.
Now, two decades later, she has already an impressive recording legacy, including several duo recordings, including one with Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist. This duo album with harpist Castaneda, which is an amalgam of Jazz and South American Folkloristic elements, is full of energy and brilliant exchanges between the two musicians, and despite its somehow unusual sonic vistas, emphasizes the fact that Jazz knows no stylistic limitations.
Castaneda’s harp sounds often more like an expanded guitar and his parts are a perfect companion to Hiromi’s arpeggios and dazzling interplays. This is another example of “Art of the Duo” at it’s very best.
Overall, this is a superb live album by two great musicians, who originate from opposite halves of the globe, but manage to create a perfect cooperative effort together. For Hiromi’s many fans worldwide, this is of course a must, but all lovers of somewhat uncommon Jazz should be delighted.
| | Updated: 26/02/2024Posted: 26/02/2024 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
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