With Understanding Comes Appreciation
Modern Jazz-Rock/Fusion is the true progressive music movement of our time. It makes no compromises, leaves no stone unturned, and never panders to its audience. You're either in or you're out. As of this review's writing, that trend is showing no sign of letting up. If you want a good example of what real Prog is these days, pick up a Fusion record like this one. You'll laugh hysterically at how so many Dream Theater and Yes sound-alike groups are being recognized as the "new" movement in the prog scene, when all of the actual progression is happening right here in artists such as Hiromi Uehara.
Easily the most exciting, consistently high-level, creative jazz-rock fusion album I've encountered in the 21st Century. Yes, there are a lot of sounds, riffs, and familiar passages from my long love and association with the music of Chick Corea, but there is also tons of fresh, mouth-jarring ideas expressed here and by all four of these incredible musicians. Guitarist David Fiuczynski is truly masterful and chamelonic in his playing —a brilliant foil to Hiromi's stellar, melodic, and often heartbreakingly beautiful keyboard playing.
Hiromi Uehara's "Sonicbloom" albums feature her expanding the sound of her usual trio by adding David Fiuczynski on fiery electric guitar. This in turn allows Hiromi to really draw on the rock and prog influences which colour her fusion work, as demonstrated in the first Sonicbloom album, Time Control. Taking in influences from Zappa to Gentle Giant to the jazzier Canterbury outfits, Uehara keeps things rooted in fusion territory by focusing mainly on the piano and introducing more modern keyboard instruments only sparingly. The end result, then, refreshes the fusion sound of yesteryear with a healthy influsion of recent developments in more purist jazz piano circles, resulting in a unique and engaging sound. On balance, I think Hiromi might be the best-kept secret in fusion today.