Hiromi Uehara

Hiromi
Uehara performing in Warsaw, 2013
Uehara performing in Warsaw, 2013
Background information
Born (1979-03-26) March 26, 1979 (age 47)
OriginHamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
GenreJazz
Occupations
  • Musician
  • composer
Instruments
  • Piano
  • keyboards
  • synthesizers
Years active1996–present
LabelTelarc International
Websitehiromimusic.com

Hiromi Uehara (上原 ひろみ, Uehara Hiromi) (born March 26, 1979), often known mononymously as Hiromi, is a Japanese jazz composer and pianist. She is known for her virtuosic technique, energetic live performances and blending of musical genres such as stride, post-bop, progressive rock, classical, nu jazz and fusion in her compositions. In 2021, she performed at the opening ceremony of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Biography

Uehara was born on March 26, 1979 in Hamamatsu, Japan. She began playing piano at age six and was introduced to jazz by her teacher Noriko Hikida when she was eight. At age 14, she played with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. When she was 17, she met Chick Corea by chance in Tokyo and he invited her to play with him at his concert the next day.

Early career

After writing jingles for a few years for Japanese companies such as Nissan, she enrolled to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. There, she was mentored by Ahmad Jamal and signed with Telarc before her graduation, releasing the album Another Mind in 2003; she graduated later that year. That album shipped gold in Japan (with sales in excess of 100,000 units) and was named Jazz Album of the Year by the Recording Industry Association of Japan.

After graduating from Berklee, Hiromi continued to write, record, and tour, releasing albums Brain (2004) and Spiral (2006). In 2006, she formed the group Hiromi's Sonicbloom with bassist Tony Grey, drummer Martin Valihora, and guitarist David Fiuczynski, subsequently releasing albums Time Control (2006) and Beyond Standard (2008) with the group. In 2011, Hiromi won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album as part of the Stanley Clarke Band.

An anime film adaptation of Blue Giant (manga) produced by NUT was announced on October 21, 2021 with Hiromi composing and performing the piano segments of the film. It is directed by Yuzuru Tachikawa, based on a screenplay by Number 8, with character design by Yūichi Takahashi (who also served as the film's chief animation director) and original music and soundtrack by Hiromi Uehara. It was originally set to premiere in 2022, but was shifted to February 17, 2023.

The Trio Project

Uehara's Trio Project brought together before 2011 the late American bassist Anthony Jackson (d. 2025), who was previously a guest on the Brain album, and drummer Simon Phillips. The group made four albums together: Voice (2011), Move (2012), Alive (2014), and Spark (2016). Move and Alive both charted inside the top 10 on the U.S. Billboard Jazz Album charts, while Spark reached the number one position.

Following Jackson's death in 2025, Hiromi has moved forward with new iterations of the ensemble which became called Sonicwonder in 2025. The current format is a new quartet, featuring Hadrien Feraud on bass, Gene Coye on drums, and Adam O'Farrill on trumpet. Hiromi is set to bring back the "Trio Project" name for a new tour and recording in Fall 2026 called the Trio Project Revival, with Simon Phillips returning on drums, and James Genus as the new bassist.

Instruments

In a 2010 interview, Uehara said she plays the Yamaha CFIII-S concert grand piano, Nord Lead 2, Clavia Nord Electro 2 73, Clavia Nord Stage Piano, and Korg microKORG.

Personal life

Uehara married Japanese fashion designer Mihara Yasuhiro in 2007. They met after she performed at one of his fashion shows in Milan the year before.

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

  • Hiromi's Sonicbloom Live in Concert (2007) [DVD-Video]
  • Duet [ja; fr] with Chick Corea (Stretch, 2008) [2CD] - live rec. 2007 at Blue Note Tokyo
  • Hiromi Live in Concert (2009) [DVD-Video] – rec. 2005
  • Duet with Chick Corea (2009) [DVD-Video] - rec. 2007. released in Japan only.
  • Solo Live at Blue Note New York (2011) - rec. 2010 at Blue Note Jazz Club
  • Hiromi: Live in Marciac by the Trio Project (2012) [DVD-Video]
  • Move: Live in Tokyo (2014) [DVD-Video]

Other appearances

Filmography

References

  1. ↑ "Hiromi Uehara | Berklee College of Music". college.berklee.edu. Retrieved 2025-04-05.
  2. 1 2 Jackson, Grant (April 23, 2010). "Hiromi On Piano Jazz". NPR Music. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  3. ↑ Writern, Aki Ikeuchi / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff (2021-10-24). "Uncertain times spur jazz pianist to strike new chords". japannews.yomiuri.co.jp. Retrieved 2025-02-16.
  4. 1 2 3 "Hiromi - Concord". concord.com. Retrieved 2025-04-05.
  5. ↑ "Hiromi Uehara". Berklee College of Music. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  6. ↑ Thurman, Chad (8 November 2016). "No Strings Attached". VIE Magazine.
  7. ↑ "Duet | Chick Corea". Retrieved 2025-04-05.
  8. ↑ Greenlee, Steve (January 29, 2010). "Her place in the sun". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  9. ↑ "Hiromi | Artist | GRAMMY.com". grammy.com. Retrieved 2025-04-05.
  10. ↑ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (December 15, 2022). "Blue Giant Anime Film's Trailer Reveals Cast, More Staff". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  11. ↑ ジャズを扱うマンガ「BLUE GIANT」アニメ映画化、2022年公開. Eiga Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. October 21, 2021. Archived from the original on October 20, 2021. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  12. ↑ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (October 20, 2021). "Blue Giant Manga About Aspiring Jazz Musician Gets Anime Film". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  13. ↑ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (June 21, 2022). "Blue Giant Anime Film Reveals Main Staff, February 2023 Opening". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on June 22, 2022. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Hiromi". Concord.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  15. ↑ "Hiromi | Biography, Music & News". Billboard. Retrieved 2025-02-16.
  16. ↑ "伝説的ベーシストのアンソニー・ジャクソンが73歳で死去、矢野顕子や上原ひろみとも共演" [Legendary bassist Anthony Jackson, who performed with Akiko Yano and Hiromi Uehara, dies at age 73] (in Japanese). Rolling Stone Japan. October 20, 2025.
  17. ↑ Traub, Alex (October 27, 2025). "Anthony Jackson, Master of the Electric Bass, Is Dead at 73". The New York Times. Retrieved October 27, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Legendary Musician Dead at 73: 'One of the Giants!'". Yahoo. October 21, 2025. Retrieved October 21, 2025.
  19. ↑ "Hiromi :The Solo Piano Sorcery of Place To Be". Keyboard Magazine. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
  20. ↑ Rao, Priya (1 February 2010). "Hiromi Uehara Pushes the Limit". WWD.
  21. ↑ "Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra "Goldfingers" - Tokyo's Coolest Sound". Coolestsound.jp. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  22. ↑ "Oscar, With Love [Standard 3-CD]". Mackavenue.com. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  23. ↑ "Discography album｜HIROMI the Official Web Site". Archived from the original on 2017-10-08. Retrieved 2017-10-08.
  24. ↑ "Blue Giant". eiga.com. Retrieved February 26, 2023.