Hiromi
Voice

One thing is certain: the 2011 that is about to end has been the year of the definitive consecration for the thirty-two-year-old Japanese pianist, now the former rising star of contemporary Fusion and who has rightfully become part of the select group of the best musicians in the genre. The exceptional live performances speak for themselves, even on the stages of major international Jazz festivals (from Montreal to Newport to Umbria Jazz - unfortunately lately somewhat in decline), perhaps the preferred realm by the talented instrumentalist; the more than positive reviews from industry professionals speak volumes (also, the approval of certain critics is superfluous when you're fortunate enough to be discovered by Chick Corea at just seventeen); and finally, her latest studio album, released on June 7 of this year with the collaboration of two aces: the bassist Anthony Jackson (with dozens and dozens of collaborations) and the drummer Simon Phillips, who has long been a Fusion soloist and session man but is also familiar in Rock circles for his involvement (among others) with The Who, Toto, and Judas Priest. Two who need no introduction, here alongside Hiromi in the so-called "Trio Project," the pianist's latest venture between Jazz and a reimagining of romantic sonatas, confirming the solidity of her classical training.

There are two schools of thought on Hiromi: some appreciate her undeniable technical skills and professionalism (otherwise, she could not count on the support of such collaborators), and others find her work "cold," poorly communicative, excessively based on seeking virtuosity for its own sake and on blending contrasting influences, criticizing her records as exemplary testimonies of bad taste and misplaced flair; and then there are those who dismiss the Hamamatsu pianist by describing her as a female Emerson or Wakeman, raised on bread and Dream Theater and unable to contend - artistically speaking - with the greats of her genre. Personally, I say that an album like "Voice" certainly does not constitute the pinnacle of originality: the formula of the piano/bass/drums trio is (at least in the jazz field) very old, and what one hears here is not so far from similar experiments successfully conducted in the eighties (see the Satoh/Gomez/Gadd trio I talked about some time ago); and I do not deny that many might find this album irredeemably boring and prolix, considering also the length to which the pieces are subjected, all lasting over five minutes. And beyond the more or less agreeable words of Hiromi herself, who talks about her music as "something that is transmitted from heart to heart, and not from her fingers to the listeners' ears: this is the essence of instrumental music understood as a vehicle of passions to be voiced," I believe that the point of listening to this work lies precisely in the virtuosity, in the instrumental progressions, in the scales performed at "robotic" speed: trying to engage with a Hiromi album while hoping not to encounter virtuosity is like listening to a Punk work and hoping not to hear noise. In the sense that virtuosity is the foundation of her music, her distinctive trait, that essential element without which Hiromi would not be Hiromi; leaving aside the - useless, in my view - observations about the undeniable derivativeness of the proposal (but is it still possible to say something new in terms of Fusion? If it is, the "new" will certainly not concern the musical substance itself, especially since Jazz thrives on "cycles" and "recurrences," and by its very nature is inclined to feed off the past; it will concern instead the individuality, taste, personality of the individual musicians, their ability to challenge themselves and to be appreciated by the public for what they are able to convey, without dwelling on whether a track is more or less original or derivative).

Personality and class (as well as an extraordinary stage presence) are qualities that have always belonged to the Japanese, here engaging with nine compositions that highlight her sensitivity and genius in terms of arrangement; they are complex scores, extraordinarily intricate, at times capable of surpassing the traditional "theme exposition-solo on the theme" framework; therefore, it's difficult to orient oneself on the first listen, except to immediately grasp the imaginative and brilliant solutions brought by Jackson and Phillips (though confirmation was hardly necessary). In the swirling patterns of the leader, one can perceive the great influence exerted on her by the acknowledged master Ahmad Jamal (her patron during her time at Berklee College in Boston). Progressive flavors mix with Rhythm'n'Blues, sensational progressions follow one another backed by the drums, up to the delicate Jazz reinterpretation of Beethoven's "Pathetique" (Sonata No. 8); even I, who am not a lover of this kind of thing and would have gladly done without this classical appendage (also because the album didn't need anything else), appreciated Hiromi's more romantic vein and her ability to avoid a certain banal scholasticism (in which it's almost natural to fall when dealing with such repertoires).

I'll be honest: initially, I wanted to give the album a 4.5 (maybe rounding it down to 4), but this music is played too, too well (and with too much emotive charge, for those who know how to perceive it) not to deserve a full 5. Even though from such hands, I must admit, I expect even better things in the future...