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Art Hirahara “Noble Path” review from DownBeat…

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www.downbeat.com

Some piano players just feel good. Count Basie was a master of subtle humor. Cedar Walton added a unique melodic twist to inventive progressions (and it feels good). Roger Kellaway, Red Garland, Vince Guaraldi and such contemporary players as Geffrey Keezer exemplify an effervescent, forward motion approach that, in contrast to sounding “soulful” or cerebral, simply releases musical endorphins.

Add San Francisco native Art Hirahara to that short list. Moving to New York City in 2003, Hirahara has animated performances by Stacey Kent, Dave Douglas, Vincent Herring, Jenny Scheinman and Fred Ho, among others. Hirahara’s debut, Edge Of This Earth, was released in 2000. So why is Hirahara such a relative secret? His playing is sparkling, as are his compositions. Performed in trio format, Noble Path is loosely straightahead, with quick melodies, and driven by Hirahara’s vivacious playing, which always connects the dots in a flowing way. Hirahara fires the keys, but with a sense of inner calm and a lithe touch, propelling his trio through rubato statements, thoughtful but never melancholic ballads and chunky uptempo swingers that exude improvisation and inspiration. Duke Ellington’s “Isfahan” is playful and luminous, a showcase for Hirahara’s improvisations that span moody lower-register dissonances to childlike twinkles.

Hirahara seems to draw from a bottomless wellspring of ideas, often layering chords to build tension or rolling the entire length of the keyboard in melodic freedom. His playing is consistently compelling, and always swinging.

– Ken Micallef

 

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Written by editor

July 19th, 2011 at 9:24 am

Posted in Reviews

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