HIROMI'S SONICBLOOM: TIME CONTROL

Hiromi Uehara is a piano prodigy from Japan and this album seems to get tagged as her best. A four piece band of bass, drums, guitar and keyboards and the only name I recognize is that of guitarist David Fiuczynski who was part of the band SCREAMING HEADLESS TORSOS. I recently reviewed Hermann Szobel's only release from 1975 and him being somewhat of a piano prodigy himself it was interesting to compare the two albums. Hermann's is much more to my liking as it's a true Jazz/ Fusion release while Hiromi's album here veers into traditonal jazz territory too often for my tastes. Still a very good 4 star album in my opinion but it won't go down as one of my favourites from that sub-genre. I'm so glad to have finally spent some time with this album though.

So what we have here is an all instrumental concept album about "time". It's a little over an hour long but we also get an over 12 minute bonus track that fits well with the rest of the album. Up first is "Time Difference" and it starts with piano melodies only before it kicks in quickly to a full sound. Synths after 1 1/2 minutes as it settles down with bass and drums helping out. The guitar starts to trade off with the synths starting around 3 minutes. Nice section. Relaxed guitar and synths before 4 1/2 minutes and the guitar is crying out.

"Time Out" has a catchy and somewhat funky groove to it as the guitar comes in over top. Some humerous vocals from Hiromi played through her synths really makes me laugh as I work with this young Asian girl who moved here from China a few years ago. She's a great person by the way named Ying. Back to the piano and guitar led section but the funk is long gone. Beautiful piano melodies after 5 minutes. A pretty good song overall.

"Time Travel" opens with spacey synths which is a nice change as they create atmosphere. Tastefully picked guitar joins in but soon the piano arrives then drums a minute in as the atmosphere stops. Jazzy stuff with some nice drum work. Check out that guitar with bass and drums before 2 1/2 minutes. Oh my! Nasty keyboard sounds after 4 minutes as it becomes intense. Back to that uptempo jazzy sound at 4 1/2 minutes. This is impressive and especially the drumming starting before 6 1/2 minutes. The intro is reprised late.

"Deep Into The Night" is one of my favourites on here. It's so beautiful to begin with as we get relaxed piano and guitar. A full sound kicks in at 1 1/2 minutes before it settles back again with piano leading the way. It kicks in again after 4 minutes with piano still leading the way until after 5 minutes when the guitar takes more of the spotlight as the piano continues. A calm with piano only after 6 1/2 minutes then some impressive guitar a minute later then it becomes more powerful.

"Real Clock Vs. Body Clock = Jet Lag" is catchy with tempo shifts in play. Suddenly piano and an experimental but humerous section takes over. I like the guitar starting before 2 minutes as contrasts continue. Sounds like clavinet that ends before 4 minutes then some silliness again.

"Time And Space" does have more space to it as sounds come and go until it becomes steady after 1 1/2 minutes. Back to that stuttering sounds coming and going with space. The guitar starts to doodle starting around 3 minutes and continues until after 4 1/2 minutes when the piano takes over. It suddenly picks up around 7 1/2 minutes to end it.

"Time Control, Or Controlled By Time" opens with fast paced piano melodies then the guitar comes in ripping it up around a minute. It settles to a jazzy mode before 2 minutes. Some intensity starting after 3 minutes with random drum patterns and bass. A jazzy calm takes over after 4 minutes with the piano leading. It does pick up again with the guitar and piano leading. Great sound after 8 minutes with that guitar, drums and piano standing out.

"Time Flies" has these relaxed piano and synths for the first two minutes then the guitar, bass and drums join in. Pleasant is the word. I like this. Beautiful piano melodies come to the fore after 5 1/2 minutes. "Time's Up" ends it with a less than one minute closer. This sounds so amazing too with so much going on then out of the blue a man yells "Time's up!" and it's over.

If your more into traditional Jazz but don't mind those Fusion flourishes then you really need to check this girl out.