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There are two types of piano playing: the first one is a melodic style almost like a string instrument featured by musicians like Rick Wakeman (since the piano is essentially a string instrument) and a percussive one of people like Keith Emerson, Patrick Moraz, Chick Corea and Hiromi Uehara (the piano works through a mechanism of hammers hitting the strings). This album is a clear display of how to treat the piano as a percussive instrument. 123!!!...that's the way this album gets started like an explosion with the powerful XYZ, in which Hiromi and her band, in a trio format, shows what they are made of and it is the greatest expression of Hiromi's Rockier side... Double Personality follows with the same rocky mood in the best Weather Report tradition with the addition of a great (at times weird) guitar solo by guest Dave Fiuczynski, who is more of a rocker than Hiromi. Fiuczynski adds to the piece a more experimental ambience, while Hiromi alternates between styles you can be thinking of Keith Emerson and a second after that you sudenly hear yourself saying Wait a second...isn't that Chick Corea playing?!!!!. (despite of some other references the main influence present on the album comes from jazz and fusion)

XYZ and Double Personality are pieces that easily could be included in a Weather Report, Blue Oyster, Return to Forever, or even in a Keith Emerson album.

With Summer Rain Hiromi goes for a jazzier feeling with the help of guest Jim Odgren in the alto saxophone but it is still very rocky (especially compared to her later work), heavily influenced by Chick Corea.

Joy gets started with what would define Hiromi's sound in the future, again in a trio format, a jazzier fusion variation (aprox. 65% jazz - 35% rock) with a great soud that, at moments, reminds of Corea and Ahmad Jamal(who, by the way, produced the record).

010101 (Binary System) features with some weird combinations of an acoustic piano and some synthesized sounds, but with an even jazzier sound (+1% of jazz).

4% jazzier, Truth and Lies is the first track to feature a 100% acoustic keyboard setting (the only electric instrument here is the bass). A nice tune which shows why Hiromi is the new generation's Chick Corea (being a big fan of Chick's, this is something that I wouldn't say lightly).

Dancando No Paraiso (the brazilian-portuguese name is probably due to the latin flavor of the piece) this is the definitive confirmation of Chick Corea's influence on Hiromi's music, being the blend of latin and fusion sounds his trademark.

The title track and last official one is the most melodic tune and features a beuatiful and well written piece of music showing the talent of Hiromi as a formal musician (not just an improvisation genious).

And finaly...the piece that impressed Oscar Peterson, The Tom And Jerry Show (presented as a bonus track), featuring Hiromi and her piano without rhythm section or any other accompanying instrument. The Tom and Jerry Show is almost a jazz standard, it shows Hiromi and just Hiromi displaying her amazing talent.

This is a great debut album (and my favorite yet) by Chick Corea's and Ahmad Jamal's great discovery, Hiromi Uehara...

This album goes from the 55% rock - 45% jazz crazy jam of XYZ and Double Personality to the 95% jazz of The Tom and Jerry Show...featuring the amazing talent of Hiromi supported by one of the greatest rhythm sections that i've ever heard (congrats to Cohn and DiCenso).

4.35 almost a masterpiece....

This album is very good. A great debut from Hiromi. Though there is more piano than keyboards here than say, Time Control, this is still a worthy addition to anyone who enjoys Classic Fusion, especially the kind from the 2000s.

Things start right off with XYZ, a very fast paced number, with some nice odd time signature riffs (one in 9/8 if I'm not mistaken) This leads into some very nice piano work by Hiromi; she is probably one of the fastest pianists you will ever hear.

The second track Double Personality features some nice sax work by Jim Odgren, something not heard much on Hiromi's albums. The thing I like about this album is the approach to fusion, not relying on keyboards and their effects, but using them sparingly and relying on the naked piano, but you don't even think of this when listening, just "This is great jazz/fusion music!"

Dave "Fuze" Fiuczynski also appears on this album as a guest. He would later join Hiromi's Sonicbloom for the albums "Time Control" and "Beyond Standard". Dave's wild guitar playing throws some of the music back to the 70s fusion sound, but since he usually plays a fretless guitar, it gives it a more modern twist, with Hiromi and bassist Mitch Cohn going crazy behind him.

There are also some wacky keyboard grooves which sometimes make you feel like you're inside a computer, but this album contains some of Hiromi's more beautiful compositions (which she would expand on, on her follow-up "Brain")

Get this if you have any interest in jazz, fusion, modern prog-jazz, etc... This is a nice slice of 2000's fusion. Not as good as Time Control (her best album IMO) but an excellent release nonetheless. Enjoy!

review originally written for www.jazzmusicarchives.com

Hiromi's smokin' debut album's fusion opened her the doors to big halls around the Europe (and around the world as well). I can hardly think about another piano-based jazz trio (ok,with some support of guest musicians here)with such energetic level!

All compositions are muscular,groovy with no even a traces of relaxed feel.In fact, Hiromi's influence here is rock,but music played is jazz. For sure,some great additional drive comes from fusion guitarist David Fiuczynski (the future member of Hiromi's fusion band Sonicbloom), but even trio themselves are elastic and radiating demonic energy.

Compositions on this album all are Hiromi's originals,they are usually carefully composed but always have enough space for improvisation. If you will remove all that energetic field from her songs,you will find there post-bop or even swing! But in muscular (not heavy) clothes all album sounds as one stadium concert program.

Hiromi's debut (at her 23) demonstrates excellent musical techniques and compositor's abilities. The only thing could make this album even better - bigger musical freedom on the account of energy,but it is question of taste for sure.