“Brain” (Telarc, 2004)

Vastly eclectic in her tastes and influences (which range from Jamal and Oscar Peterson to Franz Liszt and King Crimson), Hiromi studied classical and jazz piano in her native Japan, performed with Chick Corea at 17, and attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Her first recording, Another Mind (Telarc, 2003), was praised by the Los Angeles Times for its tendency to "vibrate and surge with the non-stop sensory stimulation of the ginza, with busy bass lines and crisply dissonant harmonies."

On Brain, Hiromi's collaborators are fellow Berklee musicians Tony Grey (bass) and Martin Valihora (drums), with guest Anthony Jackson providing bass on two tracks.

While jazz purists may object to two or three of the 8 tracks as going too heavily into electronica, even traditionalists will find plenty to enjoy on much of this recording. Like Another Mind, Brain is infused with youthful energy and emotional firestorms, but also reflects a growing sophistication in the pianist's approach to melody and harmony. Comparison to the Bad Plus is not unfounded, but, at least for this outing, Hiromi seems less concerned with technical wizardry (which is still readily apparent) and explosive motifs and more attentive to creating solo and ensemble lines that beautifully linger in heart and memory. All tracks, as on her debut recording, are original compositions.

Opening with the wildest cut, “Kung Foo World Champion” (which Hiromi dedicates to Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan) provides wonderfully goofy interplay between piano and bass, with bubbling synth passages reprising the same uproarious concepts of the “Tom and Jerry Show” on her first recording. Martin Valihora's spicy drum work adds tension and excitement throughout. “If” has all the makings of a post bop standard—a strong melody line and pleasing harmony that shows off Hiromi's lyricism and allegiance to Bill Evans and Ahmad Jamal. With her ornamentation and chordal progressions, the tune almost moves into stride. Those who shy away from Hiromi as too percussive and “outside” need to listen to this cut. Guest Anthony Jackson provides perfect electric bass accompaniment and Valihora adds subtle and shimmering texture.

“Wind has a lot of faces,” notes Hiromi in her CD liner notes. “Windsong” starts with a beautiful if ominous ostinato in the pianist's left hand that grows into a swirling wind. Valihora fills in the hestitations in the main line with conga-like beats. With her classical training shining through (Debussy comes to mind), Hiromi makes effective use of repetitive clusters of melody. The piece resolves quietly as the winds die down, ever so gently.