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Hiromi Uehara

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"The Trio Project" redirects here; not to be confused with Project Trio.
Hiromi
Uehara performing in Warsaw, 2013
Uehara performing in Warsaw, 2013
Background information
Born (1979-03-26) March 26, 1979 (age 46)
OriginHamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician, composer
Instrument(s)Piano, keyboard, synthesizers
Years active1996-present
LabelsTelarc International
Websitehiromimusic.com

Hiromi Uehara (上原 ひろみ, Uehara Hiromi), often known mononymously as Hiromi, is a Grammy Award winning Japanese jazz composer and pianist.[1] She is known for her virtuosic technique, energetic live performances and blending of musical genres such as stride, post-bop, progressive rock, classical, nu jazz and fusion in her compositions.[2] In 2021, she performed at the opening ceremony of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.[3]

Biography

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Uehara was born on March 26, 1979 in Hamamatsu, Japan.[4][5] She started learning piano at the age of six and was introduced to jazz by her piano teacher Noriko Hikida when she was eight.[2][6] At age 14, she played with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. When she was 17 years old, she met Chick Corea by chance in Tokyo and was invited to play with him at his concert the next day.[7]

Early Career

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After being a jingle writer for a few years for Japanese companies such as Nissan, she enrolled to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.[8] There, she was mentored by Ahmad Jamal and had already signed with jazz label Telarc before her graduation, releasing the album Another Mind in 2003. That album shipped gold in Japan (with sales in excess of 100,000 units) and was named Jazz Album of the Year by the Recording Industry Association of Japan.[4]

After graduating from Berklee, Hiromi continued to write, record, and tour, releasing albums Brain (2004) and Spiral (2006). In 2006, she formed the group Hiromi's Sonicbloom with bassist Tony Grey, drummer Martin Valihora, and guitarist David Fiuczynski, subsequently releasing albums Time Control (2006) and Beyond Standard (2008) with the group.[4] In 2011, Hiromi won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album as part of the Stanley Clarke Band.[9]

The Trio Project

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Uehara's Trio Project brought together Anthony Jackson, who was previously a guest on the Brain album, and drummer Simon Phillips. The group made four albums together: Voice (2011), Move (2012), Alive (2014), and Spark (2016).[10] Move and Alive both charted inside the top 10 on the U.S. Billboard Jazz Album charts, while Spark reached the number one position.[11]

Instruments

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In a 2010 interview, Uehara said she plays the Yamaha CFIII-S concert grand piano, Nord Lead 2, Clavia Nord Electro 2 73, Clavia Nord Stage Piano, and Korg microKORG.[12]

Personal life

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Uehara married Japanese fashion designer Mihara Yasuhiro in 2007. They met after she performed at one of his fashion shows in Milan the year before.[13]

Discography

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Studio albums

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Live albums

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  • Hiromi's Sonicbloom Live in Concert (2007)[DVD-Video]
  • Duet [ja; fr] with Chick Corea (Stretch, 2008)[2CD] - live rec. 2007 at Blue Note Tokyo
  • Hiromi Live in Concert (2009)[DVD-Video] – rec. 2005
  • Duet with Chick Corea (2009)[DVD-Video] - rec. 2007. released in Japan only.
  • Solo Live at Blue Note New York (2011) - rec. 2010 at Blue Note Jazz Club
  • The Trio Project, Hiromi: Live in Marciac (2012)[DVD-Video]
  • Move: Live in Tokyo (2014)[DVD-Video]

Other appearances

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Filmography

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References

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  1. ^ "Hiromi Uehara | Berklee College of Music". college.berklee.edu. Retrieved 2025-04-05.
  2. ^ a b Jackson, Grant (April 23, 2010). "Hiromi On Piano Jazz". NPR Music. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  3. ^ Writern, Aki Ikeuchi / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff (2021-10-24). "Uncertain times spur jazz pianist to strike new chords". japannews.yomiuri.co.jp. Retrieved 2025-02-16.
  4. ^ a b c "Hiromi - Concord". concord.com. Retrieved 2025-04-05.
  5. ^ "Hiromi Uehara". Berklee College of Music. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  6. ^ Thurman, Chad (8 November 2016). "No Strings Attached". VIE Magazine.
  7. ^ "Duet | Chick Corea". Retrieved 2025-04-05.
  8. ^ Greenlee, Steve (January 29, 2010). "Her place in the sun". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  9. ^ "Hiromi | Artist | GRAMMY.com". grammy.com. Retrieved 2025-04-05.
  10. ^ "Hiromi". Concord.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  11. ^ "Hiromi | Biography, Music & News". Billboard. Retrieved 2025-02-16.
  12. ^ "Hiromi :The Solo Piano Sorcery of Place To Be". Keyboard Magazine. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
  13. ^ Rao, Priya (1 February 2010). "Hiromi Uehara Pushes the Limit". WWD.
  14. ^ "Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra "Goldfingers" - Tokyo's Coolest Sound". Coolestsound.jp. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  15. ^ "Oscar, With Love [Standard 3-CD]". Mackavenue.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  16. ^ "DISCOGRAPHY ALBUM｜HIROMI the Official Web Site". Archived from the original on 2017-10-08. Retrieved 2017-10-08.
  17. ^ "BLUE GIANT". eiga.com. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
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