Japanese pianist Hiromi brings her rising star to Jazz Alley

At an early age, Hiromi Uehara's first piano teacher taught her to hear and play music in terms of color: red for a high-spirited song, blue for something soft.

Some piano players play to their instrument's harmonic ability, some to its rhythmic ability; some play for volume, some for speed.

Hiromi Uehara, known commercially by her first name, plays for emotion, nearly bursting with energy. It comes through in all her music, the latest an album entitled "Beyond Standard," recorded with her group Sonicbloom which includes bassist Tony Grey and drummers Dave Fiuczynski and Mauricio Zottarelli. Hiromi, 30, and Sonicbloom perform Tuesday and Wednesday at Jazz Alley.

Hiromi is a bona-fide commercial success in her native Japan, where she has sold hundreds of thousands of records and made a good living writing television jingles. Elements of classical, rock, and electronic jazz all come through in her music, much of it built around complex, rhythmic riffs. Even her slow-paced songs feel fast-paced.

She famously played with Chick Corea when she was 17 after a chance meeting. Hiromi went on to study at Boston's Berklee school and was mentored by bassist Richard Evans and pianist Ahmad Jamal. A rising star with global reach, you could call her the Ichiro of jazz: a Japanese star who adapted an American avocation with an unorthodox style that not everyone understands — but that always translates well on stage.

"It's just the union of what I've been listening to and what I've been learning," reads a quote on her Web site. "I don't want to give it a name."

Hugo Kugiya: hkugiya@yahoo.com