Jazz Society of Oregon

Now and then we can hear it in the first few moments. “Uhoh,” we say, “here comes another young monster.” And if you’ve been listening to jazz pianists for decades (like I have), you’ll understand why I reacted that way upon hearing Hirakawa. His debut album is building a case for another heavyweight in the green room of jazz. His trio includes Eddie Brookshire on bass and Fenton Sparks on drums, and the ten tunes include eight original pieces.

To put it mildly, Hirakawa is high on adventurous virtuosity and inspired, confident musicianship. He’s smart to include one standard jazz gem, Bud Powell’s “Dance of the Infidels,” which receives a twist in rhythm and a “take no prisoners” treatment. On top of all this power and creativity, Hirakawa is a faculty member at the University of Dayton. George Benson said, “I had to come to Dayton to hear real jazz.” Well, this George agrees. There’s an abundance of it in Keigo Hirakawa.