Customer Reviews

Brain

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

. . . (and I, for one, never thought there was), Brain settles the issue.

As an artist, Hiromi has grown by leaps and bounds since her remarkable debut, Another Mind. For one thing, this disc has a much less obviously virtuoso feel; it's as if she's realized she has nothing to prove, and just sets about displaying her pianistic and compositional genius in settings that naturally reveal her prodigal talent.

Moreover, there's a kind of cool disdain for jazz orthodoxy--not that she can't play "in the Tradition" when she wants to; she just usually doesn't want to.

Along with groups like The Bad Plus, EST, and The Frank Kimbrough Trio, she stretches the understand of piano jazz into new and unlikely vicinities, injecting some much-needed life into this venerable form: funk ("Kung Fu World Champion," with its plugged-in bass stylings, stunning drumming, and very hip percussive piano stylings), gorgeous neo-pop jazz ("If . . . ," which just dances and frolics with abandon), Oriental-feel jazz ("Wind Song," perhaps my favorite number with its shifting melody and stunning solo), electronica ("Brain," the brilliant and darkly perverse title cut, with its rhythmic insistence and computeresque bass stylings), neo-Brazilian ("Dancing on the Moon," perhaps the most "straight-ahead" jazz number, where she sounds like she's channeling early Keith Jarrett), sheerly gorgeous jazz ("Green Tea Room," with its faux-Oriental, ravishingly romantic vibe), Steely Danish, out-atmospheric funkified jazz-pop ("Keytalk," surely the most outrageously, impressively stylized number in the bunch, featuring the extroverted, expressivistic bass renderings of the entirely remarkable Tony Grey), and the closest thing to traditional jazz trio understandings, "Legend of the Purple Valley," which, nevertheless, sounds scarcely like anything you'd hear from a typical jazz trio outing.

Listen.

Hiromi's the real deal.

Blessed with monster technique, an uncanny eclecticism that seldom fails to nail the exact right sensibility for her remarkable and consistently astounding compositions, and apparent carte-blanch from her record company, she has produced one of the, if not THE, most remarkable jazz-trio outings ever.

Simply flabbergasting.

She's got prodigious piano technique, brains and beauty (as six full-page photos included with the CD make abundantly clear), incredible energy, and lots of "mo" (is there any young instrumentalist who is bigger at the present moment?). All of which may raise some suspicions among closer followers of the jazz scene, past and present.

Admittedly, I was impressed but not captivated after a first listen. The tracks with synthesizer, the all-original program of "descriptive," "programmatic" titles, the packaging--it smacked of commercialism and new-age aesthetics. But I recall having a similar reaction to Ahmad Jamal the first time I heard him. He didn't employ harmonies like Art Tatum, swing like Oscar, fill up the space with complex melodic lines like Bud Powell. But over time it became clear that Ahmad was the master colorist of them all, a painter of musical tone poems that could be infinitely suggestive if not mesmerizing. Hiromi, who was "discovered" and first produced by Ahmad, has the same affinities.

Listen to "Desert on the Moon." It 's a bubbling piece, more suggestive of a mountain stream in its progress through a variety of moods, tempos, textures, and dynamic contrasts. Every moment is alive and purposeful, as Hiromi takes us on a journey from rippling, impressionist passages to sharply-defined pointillism (she has some musical karate chops!) to unabashed romantic lyricism (an unapologetic allusion to "My One and Only Love"), finally bringing the force of the whole to an explosive, climactic conclusion, then just as seamlessly providing a tranquil, restorative coda.

Her piano technique extends beyond mere virtuosity. She gets a bright, pure and round sound from the instrument that is absolutely consistent in all registers and at soft as well as loud volumes. Moreover, this recording is probably the best that I've ever heard a piano sound on CD. If you have any sort of half-way decent stereo system, Hiromi and her Yamaha Concert Grand will be bigger than life in your living room. Better make room because from the evidence on this disk, she'll be around for a long time to come.

I have to wonder what the guy who wrote "But on musical taste I would file this between Weird Al Yancovich and Alvin and the Chimpunks" was listening to. Couldn't have been this CD. Granted, he is entitled to his opinion and I am no authority on jazz piano but I think he was being just a tad harsh. If she was THAT bad would a world renowned and respected musician such as Chick Corea invite her onstage to do some piano improvisations? Hmmm....maybe Chick's ears aren't what they used to be, or was someone holding a gun to his head?

I hear some really beautiful playing by Hiromi on this disc and the bassist and drummer lend excellent support. Maybe she pisses some people off because she mixes in some electronic keyboards and we all know how that ruffles some jazz purist's feathers. Well, then don't listen to Hiromi, God knows there's enough traditonal jazz out there for you. I think there's plenty of fine acoustic piano on this disc. Listen to it and make your own call. I've heard a helluva lot worse than this!

Me, I'm a fusion fanatic who saw Chick Corea's Return to Forever band 5 times, the Lenny White, Stanley Clarke and Al DiMeola version. I love progressive rock, metal, funk, and basically anything that sounds good to my ears. This sounds good to my ears. I also just caught Hiromi at the Blue Note Jazz Club on April 20 and loved it. Al Yancovich and Alvin and the Chimpunks were nowhere in sight! And last I heard they weren't getting the rave reviews Hiromi is getting. Go figure.

[...]

As a piano teacher and player of both classical and jazz, this
album is outstanding because Hiromi has dazzling virtuoso
soloing skills, beautiful themes, and surprisingly reflects
the best influences from all African American jazz legends
from bebop to present. She made me go back and listen to
my favorite Bud Powell and Billy Taylor albums just to
compare her great solo runs with these bebop and modern
jazz legends. There is even a strong reminder of Joe Sample
in her very pleasing "If". "Green Tea Farm" is a lovely
theme that reminds you of an Irish folk tune with its
melodic trills. "Wind Song" is particularly intriguing
with its modal and tonal ambiguity (is it major or minor?)
"Desert on the Moon" is my favorite, it blazes with amazing
finesse from the starting gate while the rhythm section
simmers its smooth jazz Latin groove. The funky synthesizer
stuff "Kung Fu World", "Brain" and "Keytalk" remind me of
Herbie Hancock, fun, crazy, a great sense of humor.
"Legend of the Purple Valley" is another beautiful theme
that is once again reminiscent of Joe Sample because of
her ability to weave very lyrical melodies with smooth
harmonies and a exquisite touch.

Every time I play this album for my adult piano students,
male or female, young or older, they are amazed and want
to go out and get a copy right away. I will be buying
this album many times over as gifts for many people.
This is the album you buy for people not very familiar
with much jazz, cuz it sells them on it, completely!

In the year between 'Another Mind' and 'Brain', my guess is that Ms Uehara has been listening to an awful lot of Bob James' CDs -- probably around the 'Hands Down' era of the early 1980s. Maybe even a couple of Chick Corea LPs from the 1970s too. (The presence of Al DiMeola's bassist, Anthony Jackson, on three of the tracks confirm the direction Hiromi has chosen.) These influences are not for the good.

For an album sleeve that claims that Hiromi plays only the piano, it's surprising and depressing that there is so much synthesizer pervading many of the tracks. And it's not used to create the subtle tinges of a Lyle Mays, but the invasive, wonky sounds of Corea/James of a certain period. Maybe there's been too much pressure from her sponsor, Yamaha, to showcase the few new instruments they are now putting on the market.

Whatever the reasons, my advice to Hiromi would be unambiguous: Stick to the acoustic piano; you're wonderful at that. We really don't need a re-hash of synthetic 70s excesses such as Corea's 'The Leprechaun'.

My advice to Amazon buyers is to buy her earlier album first - 'Another Mind' is a delight.

For Desert on The Moon, this CD is worth its price doubled.

That said, every track is a unique pastel of brilliance; moreover, the quality of the disc brings out very minute details in Hiromi's playing. She might have toned her viruosity down from the last album, but did not play "dumber". Her playing only matured during the intermission. Now the virtuosity is channeled to more depict each composition's uniqueness.

The musicianship is top notch from all players; they meld together to create a musical masterpiece that no genre label could accurately suffice an apt description.

Keep it up Hiromi!

I first heard Hiromi on a Jazzizz CD, and I really liked the tune ("Summer Rain" from her CD Another Mind). So I thought I'd give her new one a shot. Well... the tunes where she plays just the piano are fine, but on about half the tunes she plays electric keyboards. Now, I am no way against electric keyboards (in fact I am big fan of prog rock, which has piles of electric keyboards). When Hiromi plays the electric keyboards, IMHO it sounds like noise. Give this one a listen before you buy it. It just isn't my cup of tea.

Hiromi plays with amazing intensity and sensitivity. She brings brilliant technique coupled with a unique sense of lyricism to her music that make this a "must listen to" recording for anyone interested in an outstanding new performer.

Let's see, hmm take the piano style of Chick Corea + the funkyness of Stevie Wonder + the complexity of Art Tatum and you get a young japanese virtuoso piano player that will blow your mind. Her music reminds me of some of the music you'd hear from Return to Forever with the innovativeness of fusing rock, jazz, and classical together. She was the apprentice of Ahmad Jamal as well as Oscar Peterson and was discovered at the age of 17 by Chick Corea. That in itself got my curiosity to check her music out and man she's got it all, skills, feeling and a hipness that will one day make her a huge star!! This Cd is better than her debut, but check that baby out to!!!

You get it all in this album, and from tune to tune, you may
be surprised at the variety of style Hiromi is capable of!
Her acoustic piano improv reflects many legendary greats, while
proving she has still developed her own style, not at all a
copycat. Her synth work will most obviously remind you of
Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea, but one again she has trans-
formed all she has learned into her own kind of music, and
it is fun, and definitely 21st century. We saw her live
in Hollywood in February, she was even more amazing than on
CD, had us on the edge of our seats!! A must, don't pass
any of her recordings up!!