Three cymbal hits and they’re away. Playing with spine-tingling precision and power, Hiromi and her band tear into opening chart ‘XYZ’ with a velocity that insists on everyone keeping up in order to hear the intensity unfold. Pawing and clawing at the keys of her piano, Hiromi is at once playful and ferociously accurate. We’re in for a good night.

Having commanded the attention of the hall with their arrival, Hiromi and the band then demonstrate the range they’ll be bringing to the evening with ‘Utopia’ which opens with such restrained piano it’s as if we’re actually in a (very high end) cocktail bar. Slowly adding Hadrien Feraud’s bass followed by Gene Coye’s drums we get to know the different elements of the Sonicwonder band culminating in the distorted trumpet of Adam O’Farrill. Although it’s unclear what’s ahead of us, Hiromi’s massive smile let’s us know that it’s going to be a lot of fun.

The core of the evening’s journey into Hiromi’s sonic world is a full rendition of four-movement mega-chart OUT THERE. Straight forwardly, ‘Takin’ Off’ does exactly what it says on the tin with Hiromi’s synth and Feraud’s bass pairing to take us into spacey outer reaches. In an exercise of minimalist flare, first Adam then Hiromi show us how much they can each do with just one note. Movement III ‘Orion’ features some virtuoso bass work from Feraud, his ease and humour apparent most clearly when mimic-ing the “clack-clack” of a glass being knocked over in the audience before diving straight back in to his improvisation. It’s intergalactic stuff; jazz at warp speed while the quartet remain fully in touch with one another. “Three four,” counts Hiromi from the synth keys, taking the band into double-time, powering towards a full rock-out climax.

Hiromi’s hair is a sharp, smooth fringe at the front. This neatness is then juxtaposed with an amazing explosion at the back: angular, back-combed, curious, characterful, asymmetrical. The encores strike just this balance; her solo ‘Blackbird’ so delicate that you could hear a cup drop followed by ‘Sonicwonderland’ on which she features London trumpet talent James Copus. We’re treated to dueling trumpets followed by dueling synths (one synth on either of Hiromi’s prodigiously talented hands). We haven’t left the Barbican and yet we’ve also been to the outer reaches of space. If Hiromi’s space ship is taking off from a venue near you, it’s definitely worthwhile being on board — strap in.

Part of the EFG London Jazz Festival. The 2025 festival runs 14-23 November — explore full listings here. Image by Emile Holba.