Biography
After graduating from Mukogawa Women’s University where she majored in English literature, Hiromi Shimizu honed her skills as a jazz singer while working as an announcer and emcee. In December 2000, she opened her own jazz club “Jazz on Top” in the center of Osaka’s entertainment district. Besides being the club’s vocalist-in-residence, she has also appeared at numerous jazz festivals, concert halls and jazz clubs throughout Japan.
Hiromi appeared at the Blue Note New York in 2004 and 2005 to rave reviews. This accomplishment in the jazz capital of the world helped solidify her reputation. In 2010, she was invited to perform at two major European jazz festivals – the Festival International de Jazz d’Antibes Juan les Pins in France and the Umbria International Jazz Festival in Italy – where she was enthusiastically received.
Hiromi has released five albums.
SMILE with the Emiko Tada Trio (2004)
ROUND MIDNIGHT with the Emiko Tada Quartet (2005)
HIROMI AS IS IN NEW YORK with the Kenny Barron Trio (2006)
WALTZ TENDERLY, a duo outing with Don Friedman (2008)
LIVE AT JAZZ ON TOP with the Don Friedman Trio (2010)
Among these recordings, the ones she did with Kenny Barron and Don Friedman were the first ones by a Japanese vocalist to receive excellent reviews from jazz magazines around the world. This only attests to why Hiromi Shimizu is currently attracting attention both internationally and domestically as the Japanese jazz singer most likely to make it in the international jazz scene.
as of November 2010