LISTEN HERE

HIROMI’S NEW BAND SONICWONDER FEATURES
HADRIEN FERAUD (BASS), GENE COYE (DRUMS),
AND ADAM O’FARRILL (TRUMPET)
 
WATCH NPR TINY DESK DEBUT HERE
 
NORTH AMERICAN TOUR OCTOBER 7 – 20
WITH VANCOUVER AND TORONTO STOPS

TORONTO, ON – October 6, 2023 – Today, Hiromi releases her 12th studio album, Sonicwonderland (Telarc), a new musical adventure for the GRAMMY-winning pianist and composer. Recorded with a new quartet, called Hiromi’s Sonicwonder, the album features nine new tracks that burst with synthesizer and deep-in-the-pocket grooves. The record stands as Hiromi’s heaviest, funkiest work yet, marking a significant evolution in her musical journey into genre-defying territory. Listen to Sonicwonderland here.
 
Hiromi offers: “Whenever I play shows or make an album, I feel like it's a journey to find the people who can feel a deep connection to what I'm doing right now. Hopefully, with Sonicwonderland, I can connect to fans that listened to my music before and to new listeners, too.” 
 
Hiromi shared two pieces from the record in advance of today’s release: the title track Sonicwonderland (watch the video here) and the second single, Reminiscence, featuring UK singer/songwriter/keyboardist, Oli Rockberger (watch the video here) along with an album trailer here. She's also released a one-minute Collab Dance Video, featuring hip-hop dancer Salah the Entertainer, for the Sonicwonderland single here.
 
Hiromi’s North American tour begins tomorrow night in Vancouver and includes two performances at Sony Hall in NYC on October 13 and 14. She also just made her NPR Tiny Desk debut, performing two pieces featured on the new album. NPR said “She plays with great command but yet she is also at ease, as her notes ripple from her fingertips like streams of water.” The Tiny Desk has 784,000 views and even rapper Action Bronson weighed in, calling it “the best Tiny Desk ever.” Watch it here.  
 
Hiromi’s Sonicwonder is a quartet featuring blossoming young talents Hadrien Feraud (bass), Gene Coye (drums), and Adam O'Farrill (trumpet) and began performing live together earlier this spring. Sonicwonderland was recorded May 25-28 at Skywalker Sound Stage in Nicasio, California, where Hiromi also recorded her 2019 solo piano album, Spectrum. In addition to new works written for this project, the album includes songs that were released on her One Minute Portrait YouTube initiative during the pandemic and rearranged for this band.
 
Sonicwonderland, the album’s title track, kicks off with a thumping sequenced synthesizer groove that’s more dance club than jazz club. It’s fast-paced, fun, and unfurls into an eight-minute adventure of open space and improvisation. While other songs feature quick tempos, funk grooves and synth work (Trial and Error, Go Go), Hiromi works gracefully on acoustic piano extensively throughout, her elegant playing and composition work shines on pieces such as Polaris and Utopia. The closing track, Bonus Stage, is a lively, modern take on traditional jazz.
 
Hiromi is a prolific artist who has explored a number of musical spheres over the course of her career. Earlier this year she recorded the soundtrack to Blue Giant, a motion picture film based on the manga series of the same name. 2021's Silver Lining Suite features her with a string quartet and 2019's Spectrum a solo piano recording. Her work has been celebrated by the New York Times, NPR and NPR Music, the Washington Post and beyond, and she was a featured performer at the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony in 2021. She has worked with Stanley Clark, Chick Corea, Ahmad Jamal (who produced her first album and was her mentor), and many other jazz luminaries throughout her career, is a perennial favourite on DownBeat’s Annual Critics Poll, and has performed at the world’s finest jazz festivals. 
 
The Sonicwonderland cover was created by Lou Beach, famous for his Weather Report album covers, not to mention Blink 182's Dude Ranch and albums by Flying Burrito Brothers, Madonna and Weird Al.
 
Sonicwonderland is available on CD, as a 2-LP set (180 grams at 45 RPM) and digitally here. Signed CDs, vinyl and exclusive merchandise available here. Vinyl is set for release on November 10.