Femme Fatale Friday: Pianist Hiromi
June 18, 2010 at 5:20 AM ✺Good morning✺
As my knowledge and curiosity grew about jazz, I began to explore the world of the jazz pianist. The piano is one of my favorite instruments (the other faves are trumpet and the drums).
Early on, I discovered Hiromi via YouTube. Her boundless energy and virtuosity made me say, "Whoa!" Hiromi also has a habit of throwing everything but "the kitchen sink" into her compositions (her influences run the gamut from Bach and Debussy to Parliament Funkadelic and King Crimson). I find that intriguing.
"She is nothing short of amazing," says jazz legend Ahmad Jamal. "Her music, together with her overwhelming charm and spirit, causes her to soar to unimaginable musical heights."
Hiromi Uehara is one of my favorite musicians these days. I hope that you enjoy her creativity as much as I do.
Who is Hiromi Uehara?
Hiromi first mesmerized the jazz community with her 2003 Telarc debut, "Another Mind
Born in Shizuoka, Japan, in 1979, Hiromi took her first piano lessons at age six.
She learned from her earliest teacher to tap into the intuitive as well as the technical aspects of music.
"Her energy was always so high, and she was so emotional," Hiromi says of her first piano teacher. "When she wanted me to play with a certain kind of dynamics, she wouldn't say it with technical terms.
If the piece was something passionate, she would say, 'Play red.' Or if it was something mellow, she would say, 'Play blue.' I could really play from my heart that way, and not just from my ears."
Hiromi has taken these words of her first piano teacher to heart. You hear it in everything that she does. She doesn't just play - emotions are vividly communicated, almost three-dimensionally. You experience her music through the sheer force or delicacy of it.
What has she done?
Hiromi has released six CDs while being signed to Telarc, a live album entitled "Duet: Chick & Hiromi
Hiromi's Discography (Telarc)
- "Another Mind
- "Brain" (Telarc Distribution - 2004)
- "Spiral
" (Telarc Distribution -2006)
- "Time Control
" (Telarc Distribution - 2007)
- "Beyond Standard
" (Telarc Distribution - 2008)
- "Place to Be
" (Telarc Jazz - 2010)
"Time Control" and "Beyond Standard" were recorded with Hiromi's group Sonicboom. The members are Tony Grey - bass; Martin Valihora - drums; David "Fuze" Fiuczynski - guitars and Hiromi.
Where can you see her perform?
Jun 20, Berklee Performance Center in Boston, MA (with Stanley Clarke)
Jun 21, Keswick Theatre in Glenside, PA (with Stanley Clarke)
Jun 23, Summer Stage Central Park in New York City (with Stanley Clarke)
Jun 26, Seneca Niagara Casino in Niagara Falls, NY (with Stanley Clarke)
Jun 28, Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival in Toronto, ON Canada (with Stanley Clarke)
Jun 30, Canada Royal Theatre in Victoria, BC Canada (with Stanley Clarke)
Jul 1, Canada Center for the Performing Arts in Vancouver, BC Canada (with Stanley Clarke)
Jul 7, International House of Music in Moscow, Russia (with Stanley Clarke)
Jul 8, Istanbul Jazz Festival in Turkey (with Stanley Clarke)
Jul 10, Ghent Jazz Festival in Ghent, Belgium (with Stanley Clarke)
Jul 11, North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam, the Netherlands (with Stanley Clarke)
Jul 13, Ceske Budajovice in Czech Republic (with Stanley Clarke)
Jul 14, Ronnie Scott's in London, UK (with Stanley Clarke)
Jul 15, Ronnie Scott's in London, UK (with Stanley Clarke)
Jul 16, Ronnie Scott's in London, UK (with Stanley Clarke)
Jul 17, Piazza dellUnita d'Italia in Trieste, Italy (with Stanley Clarke)
Jul 18, Parco de Villa Bolasco in Castelfranco/Veneto, Italy (with Stanley Clarke)
Jul 21, Nice Jazz Festival in Nice, France (with Stanley Clarke)
Jul 22, Jazz Festival in Almunecar, Spain (with Stanley Clarke)
Jul 23, Jazz Festival in San Sebastian, Spain (with Stanley Clarke)
Jul 24, Jazz Festival in Alicante, Spain (with Stanley Clarke)
Aug 2, Festival Porta Ferrade Teatre Auditori Municipal in Girona, Spain
Aug 4, Marciac Jazz Festival in Marciac, France
Aug 7, Telluride Jazz Festival in Telluride, CO (with Stanley Clarke)
Aug 17, Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City
Aug 18, Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City
Aug 19, Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City
Aug 20, Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City
Aug 21, Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City
Aug 22, Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City
Sep 23, Pruis Hall Ball State Univ. in Muncie, IN
Sep 24, Hatfield Hall Theatre Rose-Hulman Institute of Tech. in Terre Haute, IN
Sep 25, Paul W.Ogle Cultural and Cmty Ctr. Indiana Univ. Southeast in New Albany, IN
Sep 28, Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City (with Stanley Clarke)
Sep 29, Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City (with Stanley Clarke)
Sep 30, Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City (with Stanley Clarke)
Oct 1, Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City (with Stanley Clarke)
Oct 2, Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City (with Stanley Clarke)
Oct 3, Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City (with Stanley Clarke)
What's my mantra? You probably know it by heart ~ Go and see LIVE jazz now!! As always, you'll thank me later! 
Source: www.hiromimusic.com, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiromi_Uehara, youtube.com
Reader Comments (4)
This is a great article on Hiromi. She is a phenomenal pianist and Jazz musician. Her music makes me move!
I think everyone should check out her music. Her personality is vibrant and colorful just as her music is moving and dynamic.
Hi BJM!
My apologies to you - I posted a reponse to this last week, or I thought that I did. Sorry...
I'm glad that you share my enthusiasm for Hiromi's music! :D
Have you seen her perform live?
Hi, nice article! But you should also display the Stanley Clark Band CD that was released around the middle of June, as well, with the other album covers you have displayed It also says, "featuring Hiromi", on the cover.
Hi Joe!
I appreciate the time that you took to read the post and to leave a message. Thank you so much1