I recently did a critical analysis on Jeff Tamarkin’s article on Jazz piano player, Hiromi Uehara, and it was very interesting to read how a Hiromi’s personality can be expressed in so many ways once she is in their musical element in contrast to the person she is when she comes into contact with people.
Hiromi is said to be soft spoken, foreign, reserved, and she even deprecatingly describes herself as “the little Japanese girl”. But when she plays the piano she's a wild woman, a fleet-fingered, hyper-animated dynamo whose stage persona is so hopelessly engaging as Jeff Tamarkin states.
Earlier last year I learnt a jazz piece called “Choux a La Creme” which is an exciting piece straight from the get go. Mostly based around the blues scale to show the real jazzy feel in the piece, and whilst I was playing this piece I couldn't help but think about a big jazz band. Big brass section blowing, constant walking double bass, and of course the piano banging all over the place. Hiromi is able to replicate everything in a jazz band just in the space she's given. How amazing is that!
just recently I learnt another Hiromi piece called “Place to Be”. It is a very emotional piece that was written for Hiromi’s piano teacher who passed away. it starts off with a minor tonality with a simple melody, and then later modulates to a major tonality which emphasises a change in mood in the piece, highlighting the mournful tone, but also showing the happy and appreciative times. Along with that she plays an amazing improvised solo which testifies every other emotion as it spits through her fingers. This piece is truly an amazing piece that shows true emotion. She even cries in her performance! Which reinforces her love of music!
Anyway’s I've blabbed on for long enough, its a good read to see what type of person she is on and off stage and also to see her exponential growth as an musician.
