Photos By Barry Fisch
This current career phase of jazz/prog/fusion pianist extraordinaire Hiromi Uehara, dubbed “the Trio Project,” has been touring now for five years since the release of their first album together, The Voice, in 2011. Though Hiromi has been recording since her 2003 debut, Another Mind, this current collaboration with drummer Simon Phillips (The Who, Jeff Beck) and master of the six string bass Anthony Jackson (premiere jazz session musician featured on over 500 albums) is a perfect fit.
The trio played to a packed sold out house in New York City’s meat packing district; the Highline Ballroom was the perfect venue to showcase these musicians’ virtuosity and dexterity. The set list consisted mostly of material from the newly released CD Spark. With material ranging from high energy musical fireworks to emotionally driven solo piano, these instrumental compositions had the members of the audience exclaiming words like “wow” and “beautiful” all throughout the evening. Though based in jazz, there are many elements to Hiromi’s music– sometimes bordering on progressive rock and classical. It all adds up to a blend that truly defines Hiromi’s sound.
Closing out the show with the last track from their new album, “All’s Well,” beginning with Hiromi’s hand claps and accompanying percussive syncopation from the other two musicians, the crowd at the Highline was clearly blown away. All that energy emanating from the stage honed into a musical package delivered with such expertise, the audience couldn’t get enough. Somehow Hiromi and company had to muster up more for a second show later that evening!
-Barry Fisch
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