Brilliant!

Hiromi Uehara first mesmerized the jazz community with her 2003 Telarc debut, Another Mind. The buzz started by her first album spread all the way back to her native Japan, where Another Mind shipped gold (100,000 units) and received the Recording Industry Association of Japan's (RIAJ) Jazz Album of the Year Award. The keyboardist/ composer's second release, Brain, won the Horizon Award at the 2004 Surround Music Awards, Swing Journal's New Star Award, Jazz Life's Gold Album, HMV Japan's Best Japanese Jazz Album, and the Japan Music Pen Club's Japanese Artist Award (the JMPC is a classical/jazz journalists club). Brain was also named Album of the Year in Swing Journal's 2005 Readers Poll. In 2006, Hiromi won Best Jazz Act at the Boston Music Awards and the Guinness Jazz Festival's Rising Star Award. She also claimed Jazzman of the Year, Pianist of the Year and Album of the Year in Swing Journal Japan's Readers Poll for her 2006 release, Spiral. Hiromi continues her winning streak with the 2007 release of Time Control.

Born in Shizuoka, Japan, in 1979, Hiromi took her first piano lessons at age six. She learned from her earliest teacher to tap into the intuitive as well as the technical aspects of music.

"Her energy was always so high, and she was so emotional," Hiromi says of her first piano teacher. "When she wanted me to play with a certain kind of dynamics, she wouldn't say it with technical terms. If the piece was something passionate, she would say, 'Play red.' Or if it was something mellow, she would say, 'Play blue.' I could really play from my heart that way, and not just from my ears."

Hiromi took that intuitive approach a step further when she enrolled in the Yamaha School of Music less then a year after her first piano lessons. By age 12, she was performing in public, sometimes with very high-profile orchestras. "When I was 14, I went to Czechoslovakia and played with the Czech Philharmonic," she says. "That was a great experience, to play with such a professional orchestra."

Further into her teens, her tastes expanded to include jazz as well as classical music. A chance meeting with Chick Corea when she was 17 led to a performance with the well-known jazz pianist the very next day.

"It was in Tokyo," Hiromi recalls. "He was doing something at Yamaha, and I was visiting Tokyo at the time to take some lessons. I talked to some teachers and said that I really wanted to see him. I sat down with him, and he said 'Play something.' So I played something, and then he said, 'Can you improvise?' I told him I could, and we did some two-piano improvisations. Then he asked me if I was free the next day. I told him I was, and he said, 'Well, I have a concert tomorrow. Why don't you come?' So I went there, and he called my name at the end of the concert, and we did some improvisations together."

After a couple years of writing advertising jingles for Nissan and a few other high-profile Japanese companies, Hiromi came to the United States in 1999 to study at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. For as open as her musical sensibilities had already been when she came to the U.S., the Berklee experience pushed her envelope even further.

"It expanded so much the way I see music," she says. "Some people dig jazz, some people dig classical music, some people dig rock. Everyone is so concerned about who they like. They always say, 'This guy is the best,' 'No, this guy is the best.' But I think everyone is great. I really don't have barriers to any type of music. I could listen to everything from metal to classical music to anything else."

Among her mentors at Berklee was veteran jazz bassist Richard Evans, who teaches arranging and orchestration. Evans co-produced Another Mind, her Telarc debut, with longtime friend and collaborator Ahmad Jamal, who has also taken a personal interest in Hiromi's artistic development. "She is nothing short of amazing," says Jamal. "Her music, together with her overwhelming charm and spirit, causes her to soar to unimaginable musical heights."

At 26, Hiromi stands at the threshold of limitless possibility, constantly drawing inspiration from virtually everyone and everything around her. Her list of influences, like her music itself, is boundless. "I love Bach, I love Oscar Peterson, I love Franz Liszt, I love Ahmad Jamal," she says. "I also love people like Sly and the Family Stone, Dream Theatre and King Crimson. Also, I'm so much inspired by sports players like Carl Lewis and Michael Jordan. Basically, I'm inspired by anyone who has big, big energy. They really come straight to my heart."

But she won't, as a matter of principle, put labels on her music. She'll continue to follow whatever moves her, and leave the definitions to others.

"I don't want to put a name on my music," she says. "Other people can put a name on what I do. It's just the union of what I've been listening to and what I've been learning. It has some elements of classical music, it has some rock, it has some jazz, but I don't want to give it a name."



http://www.hiromimusic.com/index.htm

A ray of sunshine...

Nine and a half years ago a beautiful, loving and incredible little girl was brought into my life! This little girl is my younger sister. She has taught me so much in the past nine and a half years and I will always be thankful to God for giving her to me.

Life lessons can be learned from the people least expected. I never thought that I would learn such great things from a child, but every single day I am reminded to be a better person.

The life of a child would never have been so impactful to me if this wonderful little girl was not in my life. Her open mind and thirst for knowledge has constantly made me remember to never lose that passion for life.

MTV ARTIST OF THE WEEK: MARIAH CAREY

(Photo Credit: Danika Singfield)


Even back in the early ‘90s, when she was just a curly-haired Long Island girl in cut-offs and a hoodie, Mariah Carey — the youngest daughter of a struggling, middle-class broken home — was that chick, destined for a luxe life of Louis Vuitton luggage and Louboutin heels. That larger-than-life voice soared out of our Sony Sports Walkman (remember the banana-yellow ones?) like a supernatural force, and nearly two decades, five Grammys, 11 studio albums, and 18 #1 singles later, that chick’s still rocking iPods and MTV.


With that logic-defying range that glides from whisper-soft-sexy-sweet to match-in-a-gas-tank explosive, Mariah went Unplugged, got animated for Christmas, and took down a cheating Jerry O’Connell at a matinee. She went undercover on a Jet Ski, fled her symbolic wedding, cruised Paris with Pharrell, and lived out a computer geek’s fantasy with a unicorn at her side. She debuted more #1 singles than any other artist in chart history, and she spent more time on the charts and broke and sold more records than half her peers combined.


She’s the voice, the body (those abs!?!?), and an unrivaled musical legend. Yet she still manages to embrace the spotlight (while skillfully avoiding scandal), and work the treadmill in spike heels — which, as MTV’s Artist of the Week, you can catch her doing all week.







Watch more videos of the lovely Miss Mariah at http://www.mtv.com

New Beginnings...

What makes someone take a second, third or fourth look at their life, evaluate where they are, encounter a life changing moment, and then move forward? The answer to that is unknown. However, everyone has those moments in their life; sometimes many times throughout their life. They come at the least expected and most needed times in your life. Although they are completely unexpected, a majority of the time they come at the last moment when you need a change the most. Even in times where you don't necessarily need a complete change in your life, you need a good kick in the seat of the pants to wake you from your sleep.


There is something incredibly mysterious about the year 2008. Every human being walking the face of this earth, at this point in time, has experienced life-changing events that they have never dreamed. Some setbacks to set-ups, some setbacks to a downward spiral to destruction, and others the most prosperous year of their life (very few though)!


I once studied that, "the number 8 itself means new birth or new beginning. The number 8 comes after the number 7 which means completeness." This will only mean something to you if you believe in symbolic time periods. There is something very interesting about the significance of time that most people do not recognize. If we merely walk through our lives without acknowledging we could be walking in a specific meaningful time, there is certainly no purpose to even believing that we are born for a reason. I personally am comforted in knowing that somewhere between the beginning and the end of my life I will make a difference in someone else's life and fulfill my dreams when the time is right.


With the knowledge of knowing this could be the year of new beginnings, there is so much possibility to grow and start something great that can in turn change your pathway in life and lead you into the most amazing journey. Life is short, unfair, unkind and unforgiving but yet one of the most ever changing. If you do not change or start your new beginning today because of fear or doubt, just wait to see the sunrise of tomorrow and have a little more faith then you did yesterday.

From a park bench... I am reminded

The inner child in all of us can be drawn out from a simple view of a past memory. A profound yet simple action can be dug from the past burial of our old lives. Remembering the days from a time that was, and then a time gone forever, is a stepping stone into the future that is set before you.

Your every day existance depends on the true acceptance of things before -- to things present -- and faith for a bright future. Just because everything began with us as children doesn't mean we are designed to stay there. To grow and learn is the ultimate goal and the memories are there to just recall and bring feelings of sorrow or joy into our lives for only a moment; then the momet is forever gone.

Living trapt in a world where our past depicts our present and future and holding strong to feelings untrue only confine you to never moving from today to tomorrow. To live and truely live your beautiful life is to experience every mountain and endure every valley, to live every dream and destroy every sorrow, to laugh every day and live by every word you say; this is what I truely deserve.

I Never Left... "Control Of The Mind"

The human mind will never be completely understood. We can merely scratch the surface of what makes people think the way they do and what makes them react they way they do. Many people have a slight idea of what someone else is thinking by their actions and the way they go about their lives, but no one really knows your thoughts. Endless possibilities of creative explorations unfold when one person puts his or her mind to work. I personally have noticed that my mind never sleeps; it is in constant motion and thought. I have found this to be quite exhausting and even frustrating at times. If anyone has ever experienced this then you feel my pain! However, regardless of this being good or bad I found that the mind is easily controlled with a lot of discipline. People, like myself, have fallen into the disillution of the mind controls you but in reality you control your mind. Just like any part of your body can be controlled, control of your mind starts with a simple conscience effort. It sound easy enough right? WRONG! As easy as it is to start this phenomenal control of the mind, keeping control I have found is the hardest task. I can be in control for one day then completely lose it the next over something so small and meaningless. Like learning anything new, it comes with one day at a time. I however believe that it comes one minute at a time throughout every day. If we can learn to control our mind then we can change the world.

I'm Always Learning...

Never neglect the great wisdom you can recieve from others. Doesn’t that sound simple enough? Unless we live under a rock we will daily have contact with people. People who may be very different from us are the ones that will give us the biggest surprise on learning. A majority of the things you learn will come from the people you least expect. The rich man on the hill can learn a simple lesson of compassion from the bum in the alley. Whomever we learn from it is the most important to glean from the ones least expected.
How can one be so ungrateful? Those are the words that I repeated to myself over and over this fine day in the month of May. My every thought clouded with such guilt and shame for taking my perfectly capable mind for granted. My selfish and lazy nature was put into check and again I was reminded of how fortunate I really am. It was a typical and ordinary day at Starbucks reading and studying when at the next table a semi-handicapped man sat at his laptop, typing very carefully, a paper of some sort. I began to search deeper and seen a stack of schoolbooks lying next to him. Folders with other papers in them lay atop a table and a bag that held them all lie next to his chair on the floor. He wore a pair of earphones on his head and fiddled with his coffee in between sentences of typing. I realized that he was a special learning student at the college I attend. I instantly sank with shame realizing how I was dreading my own homework, papers, speeches and tests that I had to complete that day.
This particular man seemed to possess such a joy and satisfaction from all of his studies. Even in the midst of his struggles with typing his paper, which is such a simple task for me, he seemed to have a certain peace about working at his own pace. Perfectly capable in my own way to excel in life and gain a higher education without the set-back of many special needs that some have, I came to the conclusion of the attitude that many seem to harbor from living in larger more affluent cities. It is the feeling of superiority and instant gratification.
As these big city inhabitants, we have a microwave mentality that leads us to believe we never have to work really hard for anything in life. Money should automatically come to us and we should own all of the material possessions that we could ever want without lifting a finger. We want a degree in minutes because how dare it take 6 years to complete a Masters Degree. We want the big promotion just by simply showing up to work the first day and not paying our dues year after year. We want the millions in the bank just to prove how valuable we are and so other will see our worth. This list could go on and on to fit the lifestyle of many people other then myself. While shooting for the stars in life we cannot neglect hard work and perseverance. The distraction of looking at others who have put 10 years into their careers and set aside the 6 years for college and higher education can be thinking that we can have that instantly the moment we graduate from high school. But the reality is, when we are capable of earning these positions in life we will receive them. Patience is a virtue!
I don’t know this man’s condition or the reason for him being handicap, but I do know that a very significant lesson was learned from observing his hard work despite whatever obstacles he has to overcome. I will never again (anytime soon) take lightly my gift of life and health that allows me to wake up each morning and take the day by storm.
I am truly humbled.

LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE

These three simple words can be the interpreted various ways by numerous people across this great planet. For some, living is simply the daily survival of food and water. In others, it is simply waking up to a new day each morning and breathing life into their lungs. To live is the act of a daily survival for all. The fulfillment of our dreams starts with the simple act of knowing who we are and why we are put on this earth. Laughing and loving are the embodiment of living and if we do not posses any we truly are not alive.

I am taken back to a time when these words rang loud in my ears and I have never forgotten them. Live, Laugh, Love. There is so much more to life then meets the eye. At first glance from a rather pessimistic person, life can be merely a time we are placed here to live and then when our time has expired we die. And whatever you believe happens after death, well, so be it. The reality of starting from ground zero and taking control of your life is a foreign thought to most. Because for most people they are late in life and never really found who they are. If we begin to just live and let things be that cannot be changed and stop sweating the small things we are beginning to take baby steps toward just “living.” Our minds can be completely over taxed with the ideas of solutions for problems that do not exist. We always want to be something that we are not and strive tirelessly for it and are devastated when peace is not found or the gold is not at the end of the rainbow.

The greatest lessons of learning to laugh was from no one but myself and maybe a little from my mother. The statement, “Laughter is like a medicine,” could not hold more truth. I probably love to laugh more than anyone I know. I think I was born laughing. This does not make you exempt to problems, heartache and pain but it certainly does help melt the worries away. It can be difficult to laugh at yourself because it shows our imperfections and our weakness is revealed. Being in a place of vulnerability can be very uncomfortable. We need to feel in control and the loss of it is almost as horrible as being naked in public! (for some that might be a comfort) However, the relief found in laughter can be the very thing that brings healing to our lives. Our baby steps are growing into leaps of progress in mapping out our life and purpose for living.

In conclusion, never underestimate the power of these emotions and the power of the voice of another leading you in the right direction. We were not put on this earth to live in it alone and without the help of our fellow man we will not live at our full potential. All of us are given unique knowledge and special gifts that are for others. The greatest gift is giving itself and the greatest life is that to Live, Laugh, and Love.