artist info

The young piano phenomenon Hiromi has already covered extensive ground as an artist. Since her massive 2003 debut, Another Mind, Hiromi’s sound has enveloped genres and formats. Her discography spans 10+ albums and includes recordings of her playing solo (Place to Be), duet (Chick & Hiromi – Duet), trio (The Trio Project), and in larger bands (The Stanley Clarke Band). She has been mentored and praised by such greats as Ahmad Jamal, who have helped forge her own effervescent, instantly recognizable style.

It wasn’t until the 2016 Montreal Jazz Festival that Hiromi would be “WOWed” by the live performance of harpist Edmar Casteñeda. The two quickly became acquainted and are now a sure fit for each other – each accentuating their vast influences and impeccable technique with diverse sound and unbridled energy. The way Hiromi blasts off from her seat and almost through her keyboard so does Edmar groove through his harp, eschewing stasis for sheer joy and movement.

Aside from the spectacle of watching the two perform together, the sound of the duet itself is marvelous. As each instrument carries its own lower and upper registers, the potential for melodic and harmonic exploration is massive and the duet quickly expands its sound into something much larger. Edmar in particular is noted for his unique style of playing that emphasizes strong bass tones, inspired by revolutionary bassist Jaco Pastorius and other jazz bassists.

Edmar’s harp playing is rather revolutionary in his own right, fusing the traditional South American harp-playing with improvisational jazz. Never sitting, Edmar practically dances with his harp, all while toying with the numerous pedals and pegs as he strums and plucks at his strings. The resulting sound is a sort of churning flamenco with jazz grooves and ethereal chimes. When paired with Hiromi’s piano, it is simply extraordinary.

Their collaboration comes hot on the tails of Hiromi’s 2016’s, Spark, a showcase of the always-thrilling sound of her Trio Project. On the record, pianist finds her own spark in her interaction with her triomates of the last five years, contrabass guitarist Anthony Jackson and drummer Simon Phillips. However, her upcoming performance at Jazz Alley will find her returning to the duet format, expanding her collaborative horizons with the Colombian harpist.