Hiromi Uehara (上原 ひろみ, Uehara Hiromi, born 26 March 1979), known professionally as Hiromi, is a Japanese
jazz composer and pianist. She is known for her virtuosic technique, energetic live performances and blending of musical genres such as
stride,
post-bop,
progressive rock,
classical,
nu jazz and
fusion in her compositions.[1]
Biography
Uehara was born in
Hamamatsu, Japan.[2] She started learning piano at the age of six and was introduced to
jazz by her piano teacher Noriko Hikida when she was eight.[1][3] At age 14, she played with the
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. When she was 17 years old, she met
Chick Corea by chance in
Tokyo and was invited to play with him at his concert the next day. After being a
jingle writer for a few years for Japanese companies such as
Nissan, she enrolled to study at
Berklee College of Music in
Boston, Massachusetts.[4] There, she was mentored by
Ahmad Jamal and had already signed with jazz label
Telarc before her graduation.
Anthony Jackson, who was previously a guest on the Brain album, joined Uehara along with drummer
Simon Phillips as part of the Trio Project for the 2011 album Voice. The Trio Project went on to make the albums Move (2012), Alive (2014), and Spark (2016).[5]Spark reached the number one position on the US Billboard Jazz Albums chart for the week of April 23, 2016.[6]
Uehara married Japanese fashion designer
Mihara Yasuhiro in 2007. They met after she performed at one of his fashion shows in Milan the year before.[8]
The Stanley Clarke Band featuring Hiromi, The Stanley Clarke Band (Heads Up, 2010) - in "No Mystery", "Larry Has Traveled 11 Miles and Waited a Lifetime for the Return of Vishnu's Report", "Labyrinth" and "Sonny Rollins"
Akiko Yano and Hiromi, Get Together – Live in Tokyo (Universal, 2011)
Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, Walkin' (cutting edge, 2012)
Kelly Peterson, Oscar, With Love (Two Lions, 2015) - reissued (Mack Avenue, 2017) in "Take Me Home' and 'Oscar's New Camera"[10]
Akiko Yano and Hiromi, Ramen-na Onnatachi (Universal, 2017)