As a huge fan of jazz piano, I have to write about one of my favorite artists, Hiromi Uehara, whom I first learned of through Pandora during my college days in LA. The first song I heard was Green Tea Farm, a jazz ballad with classical roots (in fact, it was the song I played during my audition for Hideo). Known for her virtuosic technique, energetic live performances and blend of musical genres in her compositions, I found her music to be slightly difficult to listen to at first. It was like a sensory overload, and I wasn’t quite sure how to digest her music. For example, during her earlier albums you could be listening to classical, jazz, funk, and electronic styles in any one given piece. Her songs eventually grew on me, and I became a huge fan. While she’s been touring primarily as a trio with a bassist and drummer, as well as solo, her recent concerts have been collaborations with other famous jazz figures. For example, in her latest album titled Voice, she performs with bassist Anthony Jackson and drummer Simon Philips. If you have the chance, check out her music on iTunes here, and let me know what you think! In the meantime, here’s two of my favorite songs from the album: a solo piece called Haze, and her jazz interpretation of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 8.
