Hiromi's Sonicwonder – 7:00 PM

Japanese jazz pianist Hiromi brings her explosive virtuosity to Kuumbwa with Sonicwonder, her most expressive and versatile working band to date. This performance showcases material from her latest Concord release OUT THERE, written specifically for these musicians after over a year of touring together and developing deep musical chemistry.

Expect Hiromi's distinctive musical alchemy: the spirit of classic jazz-rock fusion melded with classically rooted virtuosity, entrancing funk, pop flourishes, and acoustic jazz through Adam O'Farrill's trumpet. The quartet also features Hadrien Feraud on bass and Gene Coye on drums, creating what one critic described as "a vast weather system of sound" with "exuberant hailstorms of notes alternating with thunderous chords."

With over twenty years as a recording artist and a reputation as one of jazz's most explosive live performers, Hiromi is a force of nature on stage. Reviews describe her as "like a dervish, sometimes wrestling with the piano" while displaying "infectious smiles" and complete lack of self-consciousness. She seamlessly navigates between grand piano and electronic keyboards, conducting her band while delivering what audiences call "electrifying" performances filled with "breakneck virtuosity" and "staggering dynamics."

Hiromi's many triumphs include a viral NPR Tiny Desk Concert with over 2.5 million views, representing Japan at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, winning a 2024 Japanese Academy Award for Best Music Score, and earning a Grammy for her collaboration with Stanley Clarke. The New Yorker has called her artistry "dazzling."

Sonicwonder emerged in 2023 with the album Sonicwonderland, and this tour continues to advance their fearless interplay. As Hiromi explains about writing OUT THERE: "Being with this group for well over a year, playing a lot of shows together and understanding each other, I started to see more of their strength and what shines in them the most. So I started to write music with them in mind."