SPIRAL

I really like Hiromi's piano playing - very technical, correct, a bit dry, but with some emotional colours. Never too warm or overemotional, but never just a demonstration of technical abilities as well.

This album is based on her compositions, and is excellent demonstration of her musical abilities. Whenever all the music there is mostly acoustic trio, every listener can easily hear how every instrument sounds. And almost in all moments instruments sounds great! By the way, Hiromi demonstrates her strong composition abilities there too.

When listen the acoustic piano with bass and drums support, you can hear the Corea's influention there, but even more - classical European school. No groove or swing, very chamber sound. Even being jazz, many compositions sound as chamber music. So, everyone expecting fusion there will be heavily disappointed.

To tell truth, the final album composition (on European release, I have Japanese one with bonus song on it) is pure electric fusion in great RTF tradition, with fast and energetic electric keyboards, and of really great quality! So, she knows how to play fusion!

But in whole - very competent contemporary (or even chamber) jazz album, real joy for that genre lovers, but disappointment for jazz fusion fans.

My rating is 3+.