FunkFreak75 Easily the most exciting, consistently high-level, creative jazz fusion album I've encountered in the 21st Century. Yes, there are a lot of sounds, riffs, passages familiar from my long love for and association with the music of Chick Corea, but there also tons of fresh, mouth-jarring ideas expressed here--by all four of these incredible musicians. Guitarist David Fiuczynski is truly masterful and chamelonic in his playing--a brilliant foil to Hiromi's stellar, melodic, and often heartbreakingly beautiful keyboard playing. And the bass playing and drumming are often attention-getters, as well. I rate fully seven of this album's nine songs as absolute gems--masterpieces of highly engaging jazz fusion. An album that has never strayed far from my disc player (especially in the car) since I got it a few months ago. So glad "classic" jazz fusion is still being explored and adored somewhere!

FunkFreak75 I have resisted listening to any Hiromi studio album releases since she abandoned her Sonicbloom format (for the trios). Isn't that crazy?! What the heck was I thinking?!!! This is Hiromi's second studio release with her new quartet. All of the same collaborators return from the 2023 eponymously-titled album. 1. "XYZ" (6:56) this opener certainly does a great job announcing the serious skills and chemistry of Hiromi's new band. This very complex and least-melody-friendly song on the album still manages to impress because of the display of talent necessary to play these sophisticated and fast-shifting chord, rhythm, and melody changes. Impressive--though not my favorite. (13.625/15)

2. "Yes! Ramen!!" (8:14) so much fun, quirk, stylistic soup (kind of like the ramen itself!): more from Hiromi's incredibly free-flowing playfulness. (14.5/15)

3. "Pendulum" (5:57) the spirit of my late beloved Ryuichi Sakamoto seems to be flowing through Hiromi's fingers and piano on this but more, the stunningly exquisite vocal performance of Michelle Willis is somehow perfectly matched to Hiromi's beautiful music. Even the poetic lyrics are a welcome, fitting, and, again, perfect enhancement--precisely because of the musical quality of the poetry. Hadrien, Gene, and, later, Adam's contributions in the second half are equally respectful of Hiromi's Sakamoto-like gift to the cosmos. (10/10)

4. "Out There: Takin' Off" (6:33) too much fun, too much joy gushing from these performers to not love this song! (9.125/10)

5. "Out There: Strollin'" (6:43) a little more grounded in a blend of both traditional, "classic" melodic jazz as well as the Pat Metheny approach to music-making, this song has again so many nostalgic references: from all three of Hiromi's collaborators as well as the bandleader herself. This feels to me like a walk through New York City circa 1965. I love it. Adam O'Farrill's trumpet play is so fun and playful! How could someone not just fall in love with this music. Makes me want to go watch old Woody Allen movies. (9.25/10) 6. "Out There: Orion" (8:10) on this song it feels as if we are stepping down another floor into more traditional jazz sounds and styles--especially in the melody-making department: I feel as if the main melodies and variations on the main melodies are more akin to that which supported Frank Sinatra and Nancy Wilson in the 1950s. Don't get me wrong: I LOVE it, but it's just a feeling I get. Especially when each of the four "Out There" suite members is compared to each other. (13.75/15) 7. "Out There: The Quest" (8:11) the spirit of Weather Report/Manahattan Transfer "Birdland" comes through quite strongly here, that is, the 1980s. Man! I sure love the sounds and playing styles of both trumpeter Adam O'Farrill and bassist Hadrien Feraud! The way Gene's drums are presented in the mix (separation and sound spectrum) bug me a little. Not as big of a fan of this song as the others. (I've never been much of a Weather Report or "Birdland" fan.) (8.875/10)

8. "Pendulum" (6:19) the instrumental, all-piano version of song #3. It's just as beautiful without the great vocal performance and lyrics of the other version: mostly because Hiromi's music is so damned perfect. I love the different liberties Hiromi takes with the main melody in the fourth and fifth minutes--just before she begins gently working some low end bass notes into the background (from 3:44 to the song's end). (9.75/10)

9. "Balloon Pop" (6:18) a lot of fun syncopated staccato interplay between Hiromi (more her left hand), Gene and Hadrien. Adam gets a few passages to inject his own ten cents--and they're lovely (if mixed a little too far back into the sonicsphere)--but it's Hadrien's Anthony Jackson-like solo in fourth minute that really blows me away! I'm an absolute sucker for this kind of disciplined staccato syncopation--especially when it's performed at such a high precision level as this is. Fun whistle-like synth solo around the five minute mark with nice background trumpet accents, then it's off to the land of duelling anjos for the final minute: everybody trading barbs and challenges around the circle, one after the other until the finish. (9.125/10)

Total Time 63:21

I am so surprised (and overwhelmed) to find my inner being exuding such joy and elation as I listen to and review this album. I feel so very privileged to be able to know and have this kind of joyful music in my life. If I have any complaints/criticisms of this album, they are very minor--and they have nothing to do with the compositions or performances. I find myself ever so slightly put off by the way Gene Coye's drums are recorded. At times all of the four instruments feel rather subtly separated, that is, the tracks devoted to Gene, Hadrien, Adam and even (sometimes) Hiromi feel as if they have plexiglass walls between them: as if they were recorded in separate rooms, separate cities, at separate times and then the engineers tried to make them feel together. I've been quite resistant to listening to much of Hiromi's discography since she fell into my life with her first Sonicbloom album back in 2007: I just was afraid that nothing else could ever be better much less compare to that. A few live performance videos with Anthony Jackson have recently softened my stubborn stance, and then, today, this album popped into my awareness! Am SO GLAD it did! Also, I've been so focused on "Classic Era" Jazz-Rock Fusion and 1960s Jazz that I'd completely ignored (like a righteous little snob) any modern Jazz-Rock Fusion. Okay: I now see the error of my ways. I'm going to open myself back up to 21st Century Jazz-Rock Fusion. Hiromi, Antoine Fafard, Kamasi Washington, Meshell Ngegeocello: watch out: I'm comin' for y'all!

P.S. I ADORE the album art of this album! Now that's what I'm talkin' about! A/five stars; a certifiable masterpiece of joy-filled upbeat Jazz-Rock Fusion. All hail the Queen! Highly, highly recommended. For anyone who professes to love music.

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.