Hiromi's Sonicbloom - Time Control

[Kyo]

Hiromi Uehara's new album won't be released as a regular Hiromi disc,

but rather under the Hiromi's Sonicbloom moniker. The difference to her

last two albums - both pure trio affairs - is the addition of (fretless) electric

guitarist Dave Fiuczynski whom you may or may not know from his

band Screaming Headless Torsos. Dave has played with Hiromi before,

adding some really wacky stuff to the lengthy Double Personality on her

debut CD Another Mind some four years ago. It should be interesting

to hear him fully integrated into the band for an entire album. Once again

the band also includes bassist Tony Grey and drummer Martin Valihora.

1. Time Difference 6:19

2. Time Out 6:39

3. Time Travel 8:37

4. Deep into the Night 9:02

5. Real Clock vs. Body Clock = Jet Lag 5:53

6. Time and Space 7:56

7. Time Control or Controlled by Time 8:29

8. Time Flies 8:01

9. Time's Up 0:46

10. Note from the Past (Japanese bonus track) 12:08

Total playing time: 73:50

Samples of all tracks can be found here:

http://www.telarc.com/Jazz/title.asp?sku=C...B5E3C0G95RV41D7

Judging by those this should be interesting! The album will be out in late

March in the US and Europe and has already been released in Japan - I'm

awaiting my copy any day now and will post my impressions once it's in my hands.

For those interested in buying the album, the import CD has one bonus

track called Note from the Past (an all new studio track).

EDIT: Added track listing.

Edited March 5, 2007 by Kyo

[CJ Shearn]

I really wanna check out her albums, the energy she has is really amazing I think.

[Kyo]

I really wanna check out her albums, the energy she has is really amazing I think.

So what's stopping you?

[mikeweil]

Those samples are sure appetizers. Hiromi and Fuze seems to be the right combination. Sounds like theirs is the first generation to really integrate all the pioneering fusion music from the 1970's.

[CJ Shearn]

cash, lol.

[Kyo]

I got the CD yesterday and have listened to it a few times now. It's pretty cool, that's for sure. Less accessible than her recent material, but that might me a good thing in the long run. Some of it is bordering on prog rock, especially the opening track. Starts out with a fast odd-metered piano run, then the band enters with a similar but muuuuch slower riff against that with the guitar then doubling the fast piano thing before the next part kicks in. Cool! Fuze fits right in, really a good combination. I think it's interesting that some tracks are less busy than was the norm with Hiromi's trio - despite the extra voice. There are some great groovy sections, too. I haven't really made up my mind yet, but it's certainly worth getting and offers quite a bit of variation. This might even be a future classic - I definitely want to keep listening for now!

Oh yeah, the bonus track has too much of a loose jam feel for me. It's not bad , but I don't think it's essential. So no need to get the import unless you really can't wait any longer. The other tracks (other than the "Time's Up" joke) are all worthy additions to Hiromi's discography and should be great fun in a live setting. I heard that they've planned some live gigs with this quartet for the summer - should be good!

[Kyo]

Time Control is out now in Europe and the US. And I think it's an awesome album!

[JohnJ]

Review from the Daily Yomiuri

Hiromi's Sonicbloom

Time Control

Telarc/Universal, 2,500 yen

Now firmly established in the media as Japan's brightest young jazz star, pianist Hiromi Uehara has just released her fourth album, Time Control, which as the title suggests tackles the theme of--or an obsession with--time. As with previous Hiromi albums, Time Control contains some complex and dazzling gems that will wear well, and while there are still many interests pulling her in different directions, this is perhaps her most cohesive release to date.

The opener, "Time Difference" makes clear the addition of guitarist David "Fuze" Fiuczynski to Hiromi's "Sonicbloom" unit along with regulars Tony Grey on bass and drummer Martin Valihora. Hiromi has commented in the press that she wanted a new voice to add to her existing trio and the slightly overbearing intensity of the first tune suggests she also wanted to start this CD with a Big Bang. Luckily, the rest of the album holds more interest.

The addition of Fuze has clearly pushed Hiromi's fusion numbers in the direction of jazz-rock. There's less of a funk muse here, but each track still bears Hiromi's hallmarks: unusual arrangements involving sudden changes of time, feel and, especially in the case of Hiromi's keys, timbre. She's as likely to change from acoustic grand to distorted virtual Wurlitzer mid-number as she is to change from classically imbued motifs to smoke-filled dancehall tinklings. This is particularly noticeable on the track "Real Clock vs Body Clock Equals Jet Lag," on which she pulls off a more accessible impression of time travel than she does on the track she calls "Time Travel," which itself suggests time travel to be far more frightening than exhilarating, with its ultimate end in heaven.

Fuze, too, flits from whimsical talking guitar to surf rock tremolo to fusion hero with remarkable ease and his presence pushes Hiromi on to greater intensity. "Time and Space" deals with time and--much more--space while "Time Control or Controlled By Time" makes conceptually interesting points as it veers from the almost uncontrollably frenetic to moments of respite when time is no longer the driving force. There's nothing as wacky here as the funked-out martial-arts-on-piano that was "Kung-Fu World Champion," but there's still plenty of intense, humorous and emotional material shouting out loud and clear who Hiromi is. And that's enough to leave some Japanese major label jazzers blushing.

[Kyo]

I'm still loving the album. Highly recommended!

You check out some AWESOME live footage of the quartet here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYBRfi_t3FA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBWxZAR_MsY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPdYt3v5pMo

[jlhoots]

I'm still loving the album. Highly recommended!

You check out some AWESOME live footage of the quartet here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYBRfi_t3FA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBWxZAR_MsY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPdYt3v5pMo

Yes indeed.