Hiromi - Hiromi's Sonicbloom: Time Control (2007/2021) Hi Res

Although she rips through high-speed, bebop-tinged passages with ease, Hiromi’s jazz sensibility has less to do with swing and propulsive lift than it does with atmosphere and visually oriented impressionism.

Time seems pretty well tamed by clocks, calendars, and history books. But what do we really know about time?

The elusive nature of time figures prominently in Japanese keyboardist Hiromi Uehara’s new release, Time Control. Collectively praised by critics and embraced by fans on both sides of the Pacific, it’s clear that Hiromi’s undeniable talents continue to grow and evolve. “I was inspired to write these pieces because my life is so hectic,” she says. “I regularly feel jet- lagged and always seem to be in a different time zone. I find myself at airports with more time to think about time, and I often wonder, ‘Am I controlling time or is time controlling me? Why do some days feel shorter than others?’”

Time Control is also the sound of a mature band at the top of its game. Recorded at Blackbird Studios in Nashville in October 2006, Hiromi’s Sonicbloom includes British bassist Tony Grey and Slovakian drummer Martin Valihora, and features a more explosive sound, thanks to special guest David “Fuze” Fiuczynski, the iconoclastic jazz-rock guitarist from Screaming Headless Torsos, KIF, Lunar Crash and Black Cherry Acid.