Jazz: Hiromi - Simon Philips - Anthony Jackson - Album Move

I love listening to these three together. I also love listening each one no matter who they play with. I just go finished watching a video of Toto's 25th Anniversary concert in Amsterdam. Simon was playing drums. He is so freaking good and did Jeff's drum parts total justice. I was never a big Toto fan but I have always appreciated Jeff and I guess I'm becoming a Toto fan in my old age.
 
larryace said:
Hiromi is probably my biggest contemporary musical hero. The joy with which she plays...I so envy that. I want that.

This trio and Jeff Beck, Tal and Vinnie are my 2 favorite trios.

Thank you for that
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With you on this Larry. The intensity of performance at a Hiromi gig is just off the scale. Just when you think you can't process any more, another wave arrives. The live videos are superb, but the the vibe in the audience at one of her gigs is just something else.

For sure, Simon & Anthony are superb, but Hiromi's performance delivery is on another level, and you can catch the band reaction of "holy s^$£ - you want even more!" from time to time during the performance.

At the gig I attended, Hiromi performed a solo piano section (well earned break for Simon & Anthony). The sheer dynamic of her performance was something to behold. Probably my favourite solo instrument performance of all time. Blown away.

Genius should be applied ultra sparingly in a global context, but in her case, I think it's justified.

This is my favourite live Hiromi video. Simon's playing in this is just stunning from start to finish!

 
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Love Hiromi's band albums! Voice is my favourite, especially the great mellow track Temptation.

Have you guys seen this little covid facebook video series of hers? She made a few one-minute-compositions and invited bass players to accompany her. I think she did an unbelievable job with these short but substantial compositions, and she made yery interesting bassist choices.
 
One minute portraits!
I think they're on instagram as well, and she didn't just invite bassists, a handful of different musicians she was into and wanted to play with were featured.

I'm a big fan of hers too but I like her earlier trio with Martin Valihora and Tony Grey a lot better, not because of a difference in ability, but rather in style:
the music sounded more "progressive" and varied, more experimental maybe, while with Simon Philips and Anthony Jackson everything sounds much more like grounded, run of the mill fusion, as exquisitely done as it is, much like a producer said "well you gotta sell more records now, so play something a bit less extravagant".
 
johnjssmith said:
I'm a big fan of hers too but I like her earlier trio with Martin Valihora and Tony Grey a lot better, not because of a difference in ability, but rather in style:
the music sounded more "progressive" and varied, more experimental maybe, while with Simon Philips and Anthony Jackson everything sounds much more like grounded, run of the mill fusion, as exquisitely done as it is, much like a producer said "well you gotta sell more records now, so play something a bit less extravagant".
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I totally get where you're coming from, & especially from a music fan perspective. The earlier stuff had a risk edge that intrigued me more for the relentless tension of "what's next" as it did enjoyment of the result. For me, an expansion in accessibility increased my enjoyment rather than diminished it, but I'm a simple soul, so maybe I don't have as much reference point headroom as others.
 
johnjssmith said:
One minute portraits!
I think they're on instagram as well, and she didn't just invite bassists, a handful of different musicians she was into and wanted to play with were featured.

I'm a big fan of hers too but I like her earlier trio with Martin Valihora and Tony Grey a lot better, not because of a difference in ability, but rather in style:
the music sounded more "progressive" and varied, more experimental maybe, while with Simon Philips and Anthony Jackson everything sounds much more like grounded, run of the mill fusion, as exquisitely done as it is, much like a producer said "well you gotta sell more records now, so play something a bit less extravagant".
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Which albums are you referring to?
 
I think this a a very strong uptempo studio performance from the album Move. That specific piece called Reality, but really the whole album is quite strong.


Usually I listen to Temptation from the Voice album just after, the bass in very nice and smooth, it can be listened too with a subwoofer, it's a slow song.


***
Thanks for the suggestion of Time Control, Brain and Spiral, I don't know these albums.
 
Swiss Matthias said:
Love Hiromi's band albums! Voice is my favourite, especially the great mellow track Temptation.

Have you guys seen this little covid facebook video series of hers? She made a few one-minute-compositions and invited bass players to accompany her. I think she did an unbelievable job with these short but substantial compositions, and she made yery interesting bassist choices.
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hehe I published about temptation after I read about you liking it, it's true that it's a great piece of music! (;
 
Of the trio project my favorites:
1) Spark
2) Voice
3) Alive
4) Move

I thought in Spark, the chemistry in the band evolved from their time spent and I think her experience writing for Simon and Anthony evolved as well; plus she had some moments of counter-point improv that is pretty amazing that I have to listen over and over. I believe this is the only album Simon is using the Star kit (and other starclassic...I believe); the attack sound is different. Voice is great too and maybe should first (got the best cover photo too), clearly making a statement as composer and there that 'freshness' of a new band...Voice, Flashback, Labyrinth. They are all great...so hard to choose.

Simon is such an anomaly, clear Ambassadors and a wide-open tuning on giant kit that is direct extension to his ideas, he gets such a dynamic range out it while controlling it. It's a great lesson importance of 'knowing' your equipment. And Hiromi wrote this music with these musicians in mind. I like the Steve Smith interview where he talks about filling in for Simon, clearly it's a tough gig and played his own voice rather than imitating though many of Simon's parts had to play as they are integral to composition.

I saw them right before Anthony stepped down for health reasons, hopefully they play again someday.
 
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