A rich soundscape: Hiromi’s Sonicwonder is a seamless fusion of genres
Acclaimed jazz pianist Hiromi performs her latest album, Sonicwonderland
Photo Courtesy of Robert Torres
Hiromi’s Sonicwonder
Jazz Performance
Celebrity Series of Boston
Nov. 9, 2024
Berklee Performance Center
The Berklee Performance Center was packed on Saturday, Nov. 9, and it was easy to see why: the eager crowd had gathered to watch internationally acclaimed jazz pianist Hiromi’s sold-out performance as part of the Celebrity Series of Boston. Born in Hamamatsu, Japan, Hiromi began her piano studies at the age of six, eventually being introduced to jazz by her piano teacher. By the time she moved to Boston in 1999 to attend the Berklee College of Music, she had already accumulated a remarkable performance history, including sharing the stage with Chick Corea in Tokyo.
While at Berklee, Hiromi was mentored by jazz legend Ahmad Jamal and landed a record deal with the prestigious jazz label Telarc before even graduating. Since then, she has earned numerous awards, including a Grammy for Best Contemporary Jazz Album, and topped the US Billboard Jazz Albums chart. On Nov. 9, she returned to Berklee, captivating the audience with her latest album release, Sonicwonderland.
Hiromi entered the stage in a bold, shaggy lime-green dress, her hair swept up in a dramatic ponytail. With her hands on the piano keys, she was joined by her talented bandmates: bassist Hadrien Feraud, drummer Gene Coye, and trumpeter Adam O’Farrill.
In the first piece, “Wanted,” the music unfolded like the break of a beautiful dawn. The trumpet’s tender clarity rang out, each note blooming like the first rays of morning light. The drums added a soft, steady rhythm; each beat echoing the quiet promise of a new day. The bass was deep and resonant, anchoring the melody with a soothing presence. Together, they crafted an uplifting soundscape that rose like a warm sunrise full of hope.
Almost immediately, the audience was transported to Hiromi’s next piece “Sonicwonderland,” a magical realm that brimmed with whimsical and vibrant energy. The music burst with eclectic, colorful pops of sound, each note prancing playfully in the air. Funky, syncopated melodies wove in and out, building an irresistible groove. The performance pulsed with a contagious energy, its joyous spirit spreading to everyone in the audience.
In “Trial and Error,” the music guided the audience through a landscape of sudden pauses and sharp shifts in tone and rhythm. The initial excitement and upbeat energy gradually unraveled into a nervous, frenetic pulse. The dark, introspective moment lingered, unnerving and tense, before the music rebounded with a renewed resilience. The melody grew warmer and lighter as if it was finding its way back from the shadows.
Although “Utopia” also shared the upbeat energy in “Trial and Error,” “Utopia” stood out for its calm, mellow qualities. Unlike the previous pieces, the instruments in “Utopia” sounded more reflective, especially the bass’s meditative solo that was distinctive for its bubbly texture. The music’s melody painted a picture of a utopia filled with hope and promise, from the piano’s effortless glissandos to the cymbal’s light, shimmering sound.
After “Utopia” was “Up,” a lively piece that was an amalgamation of all possible kinds of sounds, from the galactic space sound effects to the trumpet’s buzzy, rough melody. By doing so, the various musical textures took the music onto a whole other dimension. The highlight in “Up” was Coye’s impressive drum solo. The variation in the tempo, pattern, and volume allowed the solo to build up anticipation and then climb back down, which repeated many times throughout the solo. By doing so, the solo had an entrancing effect that kept the audience on their toes.
Before starting the next set, Hiromi took a moment to reflect on her musical studies at Berklee. She recalled being in her early 20s when she first arrived as a student, spending countless hours alone in the practice rooms, composing parts of pieces that would later appear on her debut album. It was during this time that she met David Fiuczynski, now a professor at Berklee, who played on her debut album Another Mind and collaborated with her on several early releases.
Introducing him as her “guitar hero,” Hiromi welcomed Fiuczynski to the stage, where he joined her for her encore, plugging in his signature red double-neck electric guitar. Hiromi first played “The Tom and Jerry Show” as a piano solo. Afterwards, Fiuczynski and her bandmates joined her to play “Bonus Stage,” the last encore piece.
“The Tom and Jerry Show” was memorable for Hiromi’s captivating stage presence. Her playing perfectly captured the humorous and mischievous dynamic between Tom and Jerry; the right hand’s rapid descending notes punctuated by the left hand’s accented notes were like a game of cat and mouse. What made the piece even more entertaining was when Hiromi plucked the strings in her piano, which elicited some laughs from the audience. Overall, listening to “The Tom and Jerry Show” was like hopping on a thrilling roller coaster ride.
The concert closed with “Bonus Stage,” which was met with a resounding “Yes!” from the audience when Hiromi asked if they wanted one more. Although a piano and jazz guitar duet may seem unintuitive, the two complemented each other well: the piano provided a strong underlying beat, while the jazz guitar’s electric sound lightened up the atmosphere. Their strikingly different timbres and melodies created a rich sound that was unlike any other musical combination out there.
Hiromi radiated pure passion throughout the concert, her beaming smile making it clear just how much she enjoyed sharing her music. Her hands danced across multiple keyboards as she swayed to the rhythm, bouncing her head up and down while shifting between sitting down and standing up. Hiromi describes her music as “a blend of everything I've listened to and learned,” and that night, she took the audience with her on a beautiful auditory adventure. Her dynamic performance, technical brilliance, and seamless fusion of genres won over the hearts of many. As Hiromi concluded her set with her bandmates and special guest, the audience erupted with a standing ovation.