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Hiromi's Sonic Bloom: Time Control

Hiromi

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Album Review

Hiromi Uehara's version of jazz is unique without being willfully strange — clearly deeply rooted in the straight-ahead jazz verities, she nevertheless writes with a distinctly postmodern sensibility, gleefully juxtaposing wildly disparate musical elements and infusing everything with a joyful energy. In fact, joyful energy is probably the most significant hallmark of her music; on her latest album, even her attempt at a ballad eventually winds up in swinging uptempo territory, and just about everything else either rushes headlong or rocks out strongly in midtempo. This is actually something of a concept album centered on the idea of time, the control of time, and the effects of time on humans. It opens with the frantic but lovely "Time Difference," on which guest guitarist David "Fuze" Fiuczynski is given ample room to rock out, and then lapses into the slower, funkier, but no less energetic "Time Out" (an Uehara original, not the Dave Brubeck standard). "Time Travel" starts out strong but runs out of gas about halfway through its eight and a half minute length, but "Real Clock vs. Body Clock = Jet Lag" is a real hoot — a surf-rock theme that alternates with a barrelhouse barroom piano theme and then becomes an exercise in advanced guitar and synthesizer tonal insanity. One of the most interesting things about this album is the way that Fiuczynski's tonal experimentation draws out a similar adventurousness in Uehara, to the extent that it's sometimes hard to tell which of them is playing a solo. Several tracks on this album are several minutes too long, but overall it's a real treat. You'll be tired at the end, but it will be a good tired.

Customer Reviews

Set your alarm, it's time for a masterpiece!

Straight out of the gates, Hiromi's exquisite compositional control over time manifests itself in "Time Difference," as the right hand's delicate but insistant, blindingly fast riff is complemented by a half-speed version of itself in the bass. This simple trick, known as augmentation, is something more readily recognized in symphonic compositions where it is commonplace, than in the confines of the modern concept of "jazz." Of course, true to form, Hiromi Uehara continues to defy those confines on her fourth album for Telarc. Joined this time around by veteran rule smasher Dave "Fuze" Fiuczynski of Screaming Headless Torso's fame on guitar, the opening track is a salvo that once again launches this energetic young queen of the keys higher into the ranks of the great piano players of the day. "Time Out" brings the funk, as Fuze's comping sets up a strong, head-nodding groove. A quick stop-time section is punctuated by Tony Grey's thumping bass and Martin Valihora's heavy right foot, which drops bass drum bombs throughout this track. Make no mistake, this is improvised jazz, but it BUMPS. Fuze's "Hendrix chord" comping at the beginning of his solo here brings to mind Average White Band's themesong "Pick Up the Pieces," before breaking into a humorous wah-laden, hard swinging solo which compliments Hiromi's style to a tee. Her own playing here demonstrates her mastery of the R&B keyboard language as she works it into her own style of jazz improvisation. Her perpetual sense of humor is fully intact here, as she develops one chromatic idea into a quote of "March of the Gladiators," the iconic clown song. As the album progresses, its influences range from reverb-soaked synth trance vibes to drum and bass jungle beats to thick contemporary harmonies a la Wayne Shorter, prog-rock licks, hard-swinging modern jazz and everything in between. In the case of "Time Travel," Hiromi manages to seamlessly reference all these styles in one tune, which is, if the track's title is any indication, the point. Time Control does cool off with the soothing ballad, "Time Flies," which lies in the same vein as Terence Blanchard's gorgeous "Over Three" from his 2005 release "Flow." Her synth work here is very similar to that of Herbie Hancock on Blanchard's album, and works to great effect. Grey's bass work is, as usual, impeccable; his mellow upper register blends with the cool feel of the track and may be definitive of the musical atmosphere in this ballad, though Hiromi's solo and Valihora's drumming eventually bring this cool track to a simmer. All in all, Time Control is an album that showcases some of the very best in contemporary composition, improvisation and playing. Hiromi's music is consistently eye-opening for this writer, as her live show is one of the most highly anticipated events to those who have heard her. Every album she releases has a distinct feel, while maintaining the unbelievably high level of performance and composition. The modern jazz fan will adore all of her albums, and it is new music like Hiromi's that has the greatest potential to bring a wider audience to the contemporary jazz market. This is music for the masses that stands up to scrutiny by musicians, or music for musicians that stands up to the emotional needs of the masses. This is excellent jazz that reaches out, and it's about time we had some of that.

Doesn't conform to the expectations of flabby minds...

But this is unbelievably good music! I'd never heard of Hiromi, but on a whim I downloaded this on release date, and I've boppin' to it everyday since. So original and beautiful! What a virtuosic performance, the piano-guitar-drum-bass function like the gears of a, well yes, a clock! While technically dazzling, Hiromi's music is also fun and accessible to non-jazz listeners. "Time Difference" & "Time Control' show off her skill, and how tight this band of luminaries is. "Real vs. Body Clock" is a hilarious, driving groove with very tasteful use of synthesizer, ala Herbie's Headhunters. This guitarist is like Zakk Wylde and Charlie Christian's illegitimate son. She mostly rides the piano, but her synth work is tasty (and I usually hate synths!) "Time Out" is another foot stomper too. Hiromi knows well that skill ain't worth the trouble if it's not fun to listen to, or to play. Astounding chops, and fun to boot. Sometimes this rocks like Zappa, or what Phish (not a fan) might've done if they were good musicians! Her mellower ballads "Deep into the Night" and "Time Flies" are beauiful, memorable melodies that might be unfortunately grouped with spineless "smooth 'jazz,'" only because they are accessible enough, but they too are musical triumphs. I am a devotee of the Pantheon: coltrane, miles, the duke, monk, waller, green, brubeck, hargrove, jarett, etc. But thankfully there's plenty room for others too, and the last thing the world needs is more conformists like Wynton trying to sound like their forebears. The Jazz multiverse has not been mapped, there are no boundaries. Other reviewers seemed to have listened with marketing categories instead of with ears, and they missed a chance to learn something new from this woman who's bound to influence the future of Jazz. If you want good music played soulfully, brainfully by superior musicians, get this now.

Excellent

This is the first Hiromi CD I've heard, so I can't compare it to her past music, but I love this! Sometimes when you hear 'experimental' jazz you want to roll your eyes, but there's definately still a focus on aesthetics, and not just pushing the boundaries. The whole album has a nice feel to it that puts you in just the right mood.

Biography

Born: 1979 in Shizuoka, Japan

Genre: Jazz

Years Active: '00s, '10s

Pianist and composer Hiromi Uehara was born in Shizuoka, Japan, in 1979. At the age of six she started playing piano. Within a year, she was a student of the Yamaha School of Music, whose progressive approach to musical training allowed the young student to shape her technical skills, writing, and performing. After relocating to the United States in 1999, she continued her studies at the Berklee School of Music in Boston, where she received a full scholarship. It was there that Hiromi developed her...
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