If you enjoy energetic, masterful, cutting edge, complex and moving music, I highly recommend seeing Hiromi at the Blue Note Jazz Club on West 3rd Street tonight or tomorrow. She's playing two sets a night. The club is in one of my favorite parts of town, a couple blocks from Sullivan Street, where I buy my tea, and next door to Benjamin Moore and Ace Hardware, where I buy my Mason jars to store the tea. There's also an excellent Asian Fusion restaurant across the street, and a famous park nearby as well.
I have been to many Hiromi shows, and, as I've said before, one of the extra benefits besides the music is all the interesting people I meet. Getting the conversation started is always easy because we're united by a shared love of Hiromi's music. Often I've been seated next to people who were seeing their first Hiromi show, and they always tell me afterward that they completely understand why I come back for more.
This year I was seated next to a girl who had seen her 7 times already, and clapped her hands in ecstasy about five songs in a row upon hearing the first note. "Oh my God, she's playing ____!" she would say. I'm used to sitting next to people who have recently heard of her and don't even know the names of any of the songs, so it was fun to share the joy with someone else who had prior knowledge of her greatness. An added bonus was I got to sit next to the drum set for the first time, and Simon Phillips (Toto, The Who, David Gilmour of Pink Floyd) broke his drumstick on the first song and grabbed another from his stash without missing a beat. I looked and saw that he had 14 more waiting for him, and the set list said there were 14 songs, so I was hoping he would have to use all of them, but I guess the next two were sturdier because he didn't need any more after the first one. Anthony Jackson (Simon & Garfunkel, Steely Dan, Chick Corea, Dizzy Gillespie, Michel Camilo) didn't break his bass at all, which is probably a good thing.
Last night I went with my friend, who had originally introduced me to her work, and she cured him of a stressful day. Hiromi's music has a way of doing that. Then again, we were seated next to very strange people. In short, their manners were lacking, but at the same time they were completely into the show. They just couldn't restrain themselves from shouting across the table in some foreign language I couldn't quite identify in order to remark on every song, and one of them kept pounding on the table and clapping her hands offbeat. We conceded her enthusiasm was overall a positive thing, but we kind of wanted to hear the music as well, since this little restaurant isn't a large concert hall with loud amplifiers. If you're near the stage you're set, but we were a little further up in the back, so their constant commentary, along with that of some people several tables away, often made it difficult to hear the music. Then again, it's hard to be annoyed with others when Hiromi is playing her piano.
When she played the second set, I was blessed to sit immediately next to the stage and the piano, and see her fingers play every key. I also had some insanely excited Hiromi fans sitting next to me. They were very friendly musicians and math students from Pennsylvania, and had just driven several hours to see their first ever Hiromi and Blue Note shows, although they had been worshiping her for years. They also warned me that they would find it very hard to control themselves. I found these guys more humorous than annoying, probably because they had been so friendly and enthusiastic before the show. Also, they bought me a Tequila shot, which is always fun. The guy even looked a lot like me, that is, if I never trimmed my beard and had brown hair.
I will admit though, I sometimes wished the guy would cease counting off the beat ("1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4") every song, even though he was doing it as if this number sequence were the greatest miracle ever gifted by God. Once or twice I had to smile and put my finger in front of his lips, usually when Hiromi was about to give a small speech in between songs or had transitioned to a softer piece. He later thanked me after the show for keeping him under control, giving me hugs and insisting on pictures with everyone at the table. All I had really done was share many awed stares, laugh at his orgasmic reactions, give him a thumbs up or occasionally, and smile while also making a motion for him to calm his voice, but most of his shouts and yips added energy to the atmosphere. His girlfriend could hardly contain herself as well, and often had to hold her face in her elbow, as if she were at an evangelical church meeting and wanted to scream, "Hallelujah!" She said that all of her friends, upon finding out how close she had sat to Hiromi, would tell her that she could leave the Earth happily after such an experience.
There was also another man with us, a huge jazz fan from Poland. He and the talkative musician commented on the wonders of her technical ability before, during, and after the show. I appreciated their new perspective, as I was aware she was doing all sorts of mathematical magic on the keys, and that if she hadn't mastered such complexity she wouldn't be able to express what was inside of her so magnificently. On the other hand, I kind of wished I hadn't heard most of their deciphering, since I'm happy not to know how she's doing it. In one interview Hiromi said, "I want my music to go from heart to heart and not from fingers to ears." I know they clearly felt the music in their hearts, but they were definitely immersed in the latter approach as well. As they were musicians, I know they couldn't help it, and I'm sure Hiromi gets many of those fans at her shows. I'm different though. Seeing as how I know nothing about music theory or composition or arranging, every song is a glorious mystery to me, shining with beauty and fantastic energy.
If you're far from the New York area, I suggest watching an online video of her performances, and if you like what you see, buy one of her many CD's.
Peace!
I have been to many Hiromi shows, and, as I've said before, one of the extra benefits besides the music is all the interesting people I meet. Getting the conversation started is always easy because we're united by a shared love of Hiromi's music. Often I've been seated next to people who were seeing their first Hiromi show, and they always tell me afterward that they completely understand why I come back for more.
This year I was seated next to a girl who had seen her 7 times already, and clapped her hands in ecstasy about five songs in a row upon hearing the first note. "Oh my God, she's playing ____!" she would say. I'm used to sitting next to people who have recently heard of her and don't even know the names of any of the songs, so it was fun to share the joy with someone else who had prior knowledge of her greatness. An added bonus was I got to sit next to the drum set for the first time, and Simon Phillips (Toto, The Who, David Gilmour of Pink Floyd) broke his drumstick on the first song and grabbed another from his stash without missing a beat. I looked and saw that he had 14 more waiting for him, and the set list said there were 14 songs, so I was hoping he would have to use all of them, but I guess the next two were sturdier because he didn't need any more after the first one. Anthony Jackson (Simon & Garfunkel, Steely Dan, Chick Corea, Dizzy Gillespie, Michel Camilo) didn't break his bass at all, which is probably a good thing.
Last night I went with my friend, who had originally introduced me to her work, and she cured him of a stressful day. Hiromi's music has a way of doing that. Then again, we were seated next to very strange people. In short, their manners were lacking, but at the same time they were completely into the show. They just couldn't restrain themselves from shouting across the table in some foreign language I couldn't quite identify in order to remark on every song, and one of them kept pounding on the table and clapping her hands offbeat. We conceded her enthusiasm was overall a positive thing, but we kind of wanted to hear the music as well, since this little restaurant isn't a large concert hall with loud amplifiers. If you're near the stage you're set, but we were a little further up in the back, so their constant commentary, along with that of some people several tables away, often made it difficult to hear the music. Then again, it's hard to be annoyed with others when Hiromi is playing her piano.
When she played the second set, I was blessed to sit immediately next to the stage and the piano, and see her fingers play every key. I also had some insanely excited Hiromi fans sitting next to me. They were very friendly musicians and math students from Pennsylvania, and had just driven several hours to see their first ever Hiromi and Blue Note shows, although they had been worshiping her for years. They also warned me that they would find it very hard to control themselves. I found these guys more humorous than annoying, probably because they had been so friendly and enthusiastic before the show. Also, they bought me a Tequila shot, which is always fun. The guy even looked a lot like me, that is, if I never trimmed my beard and had brown hair.
I will admit though, I sometimes wished the guy would cease counting off the beat ("1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4") every song, even though he was doing it as if this number sequence were the greatest miracle ever gifted by God. Once or twice I had to smile and put my finger in front of his lips, usually when Hiromi was about to give a small speech in between songs or had transitioned to a softer piece. He later thanked me after the show for keeping him under control, giving me hugs and insisting on pictures with everyone at the table. All I had really done was share many awed stares, laugh at his orgasmic reactions, give him a thumbs up or occasionally, and smile while also making a motion for him to calm his voice, but most of his shouts and yips added energy to the atmosphere. His girlfriend could hardly contain herself as well, and often had to hold her face in her elbow, as if she were at an evangelical church meeting and wanted to scream, "Hallelujah!" She said that all of her friends, upon finding out how close she had sat to Hiromi, would tell her that she could leave the Earth happily after such an experience.
There was also another man with us, a huge jazz fan from Poland. He and the talkative musician commented on the wonders of her technical ability before, during, and after the show. I appreciated their new perspective, as I was aware she was doing all sorts of mathematical magic on the keys, and that if she hadn't mastered such complexity she wouldn't be able to express what was inside of her so magnificently. On the other hand, I kind of wished I hadn't heard most of their deciphering, since I'm happy not to know how she's doing it. In one interview Hiromi said, "I want my music to go from heart to heart and not from fingers to ears." I know they clearly felt the music in their hearts, but they were definitely immersed in the latter approach as well. As they were musicians, I know they couldn't help it, and I'm sure Hiromi gets many of those fans at her shows. I'm different though. Seeing as how I know nothing about music theory or composition or arranging, every song is a glorious mystery to me, shining with beauty and fantastic energy.
If you're far from the New York area, I suggest watching an online video of her performances, and if you like what you see, buy one of her many CD's.
Peace!
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