Vowing audiences worldwide since her début in 2003, Japanese pianist and composer Hiromi Uehara is still in her early thirties. Whether she is de-constructing a classical piece, performing her own compositions or launching into a jazz fusion set with her current Trio Project, the musician consistently displays a dazzling technique and exudes an extraordinary passion for music. Classically trained but also influenced by pop and rock music, the pianist possesses a natural flair when it comes to engaging with the public and going through an emotional roller coaster with her audience. Her incredible solo performance at the Marciac Jazz festival in 2010 when she opened for Ahmad Jamal is a case in point.
In 2011, Hiromi initiated her Trio Project with English drummer Simon Phillips and American bass player Anthony Jackson with whom she has recorded two albums to date, Voice (2011) and Move (2012). Simon Phillips has been drumming for rock or heavy metal acts since the mid-1970s while Anthony Jackson (and his custom made six-string bass guitar) is a seasoned jazz and fusion session musician. As a result, Hiromi’s trio music appeals to a much wider audience that goes beyond the traditional jazz circles.
“I don’t want to put a name on my music,” she says. “Other people can put a name on what I do. It’s just the union of what I’ve been listening to and what I’ve been learning. It has some elements of classical music, it has some rock, it has some jazz, but I don’t want to give it a name.” Yamaha Jazz Pianos – Hiromi
“Voice”, the title track of her 2011 recording by the same name is emblematic of the live performances of Hiromi and the Trio Project: a long piece lasting over ten minutes, complex melody lines, a high octane rhythm section and relentless virtuoso soloing to the constant cheers of an enthralled audience.
