Hiromi has been around for a while, but I just learned about her yesterday while listening to Sirius XM radio in the car. Her trio had gone into their studio to play her latest album live. Hiromi is very much a product of our age, with roots I think most of us would recognize from our old idols at jazz, classical, pop, rock and even some R&B. It took a while for me to realize that I was listening to a phenomenon, because she's not trying to lay everything on the line at every minute, but has a fantastic architecture that grows until you are just overwhelmed. The album, Spark, is itself an arc, following life and emotional changes that she wanted to mirror in the music. I'd like to hear her tell us who she listens to.
- Hiromi: Alive
Hiromi: Spark
Hiromi: Sicilian Blue (OMG! The textures are incredible.)
She has many videos of Caravan, which I think is perfectly suited for her and her trio. In this one, recorded in 2008 with another group, Caravan is a time-scape with multiple tempos superimposed. I'd say hemiola, but it goes much further than that in Hiromi's hands. Her trio manages to focus on one or another of the tempos while keeping the suppressed one(s) peeking out enough that you never lose sight of them. Perfect song for that. This is a wonderful contemporary take on an old classic.
If you've got the time, here she is at Jazz in Marciac 2010 playing solo for 55 minutes. (The left hand bass solo at 51 minutes is a must-hear.)
I can't believe I'm just finding out about Hiromi.
Next up: Khatia Buniatishvili. I'm guessing, but I think this Georgian name would be pronounced boon-YAT-ish-VIL-li.
- Khatia B: Schumann Concerto Plus a beautiful Liszt Liebestraum encore that the audience simply pulls out of her.
Of course, a lot of the criticism tossed at Khatia is because she is beautiful. Some people have trouble believing that a woman can be beautiful AND supremely intelligent and musically gifted. It's possible that her beauty is so overwhelming that it almost distracts from her performance; it takes no critic to see that. But you can close your eyes and just listen, proving without a doubt that this lady is all you want her to be on the piano.
Well, I'm taking up your valuable time in which you could be listening to more music by these great musicians. I'll shut up now.
Shooshie