siLLy puPPy Although HIROMI UEHARA looks like a J-pop star posing on the cover of her first album as “Hiromi's Sonicbloom,” the fact is she is one extremely talented virtuoso piano player who keeps extremely good company with her peers. I am in agreement with everyone else who thinks that this is some of the freshest contemporary jazz-fusion gracing the planet these days. TIME CONTROL is supposedly a concept album about time but since it totally instrumental who would ever know! I guess it's all those time signature changes that not only keep this album bopping and hopping but the entire theme as well.

I see this as an all encompassing celebration of all things jazz with many things prog rock and some classical and avant-garde thrown in for good measure. The brilliance is not only that every member is a virtuoso on their respective instrument but also that the interplay between these musicians is outstanding and impeccable. The trio of HIROMI (piano), Martin Valihora (drums) and Tony Grey (bass) found the addition of David Fiucynski on guitar to add a whole wealth of sounds to the former trio's soundscape. He is a self-described jazz musician who doesn't like to play jazz, so he takes all that jazz training and adds a wealth of funk, microtonal and ethnic inspiration to the mix.

HIROMI started playing piano at the age of 5 and was under the tutelage of Chic Corea so it's no wonder that there is a strong classic 70s jazz-fusion sound as the template here, but how these musicians improvise is where the magic lies on this one. It is thrilling and chilling and there isn't a dull moment on the whole thing. With all this talent it would be wrong to assume that every moment is about trading off solos. There is plenty of nice and slow breathing periods to let the music regenerate its intensity. My first HIROMI experience but certainly not my last.

darkshade This album is great. I like all of Hiromi's albums, but this one, along with her classic album "Time Control", is among the best fusion albums you'll come across this side of the 21st century. Besides the fact that she is a virtuoso pianist, she also knows how to write a tune, catchy melodies, and top that off with some of the best jazz piano playing ever. She does dabble with keyboard sounds on all her albums, this album is no exception. Thing is, don't expect too much, as this is mostly a piano-dominated record, with bass and drums backing her up. But as I said, her piano playing is great, and there are some tracks that are just so beautiful, it may make you cry ;) Cuts like "Temptation" really bring out her soul and contain some gorgeous playing from her.

But this is a fusion album, and the record starts off with the title song, in progressive rock fashion, piano riffs galore. The next track is a reprise of a tune from her other masterpiece album "Time Control", something she's been doing for most of her catalog. So she has the 'rock' mentality for sure, she just doesn't need guitars or keyboard effects to achieve what she needs to. I will admit, I do somewhat miss her quartet that is on Time Control and Beyond Standard, but since this is labeled as a "Trio Project" hopefully they'll return on a future album. Get this album, one of the best modern jazz/fusion albums, and nice to hear such a good album coming out in a year like 2011.

snobb 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.

darkshade 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!

darkshade easily one of the best jazz-fusion albums of the last 10 years. Hiromi's playing is fantastic, and the music has the energy of 70s fusion, mixed with modern sounds (especially by fretless guitarist Dave Fuze).

This album is also quite accessible, if you have even the slightest interest in jazz, you will enjoy this record.

I must say, when i first heard of Hiromi, i saw her album covers and thought it was some modern contemporary jazz, not pushing the boundaries, and probably boring or predictable. NOPE. The opposite. While it keeps the jazz tradition of "it must swing", that's about as far as tradition goes. The drums are out of control, the bass is tight, with that modern fusion bass tone, but it's Hiromi who takes the songs to new, unheard levels.

The best way i can describe this music, is she approaches fusion with a traditional/acoustic jazz mindset. But the compositions are very proggy, and quite progressive ;) so dont think it's straight ahead jazz with moogs and rhoades piano. This is electric fusion at its finest, and one of the more original jazz albums ive come across released in the 2000s. plus Hiromi is hot!