Eldar Djangirov - Release

Styles: Pianao Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:22
Size: 121,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:22) 1. Release
(1:48) 2. Monday Night
(1:50) 3. Stealth
(2:35) 4. Giant Steps
(1:56) 5. Cassette
(1:46) 6. Tea Break
(2:30) 7. Drip
(0:58) 8. Sail (Interlude 1)
(1:43) 9. Open Water
(2:33) 10. On Green Dolphin Street
(2:14) 11. Pause
(1:38) 12. Biking
(0:40) 13. Piano Beat (Interlude 2)
(4:10) 14. Drifting
(1:45) 15. Restless
(1:21) 16. Hypervigilance
(2:35) 17. New Year
(0:50) 18. Load (Interlude 3)
(2:22) 19. Longing
(2:35) 20. Climb
(2:25) 21. Brooding
(2:53) 22. Desolate
(2:17) 23. Hiatus
(3:27) 24. Days Pass (Bonus Vocal)

The New York Times described the New York based pianist Eldar Djangirov as "a blend of musical intelligence, organizational savvy, enthusiasm and prowess that was all the more impressive for seeming so casual… an ebullient impressionist." Dr. Billy Taylor said, "Eldar Djangirov's playing shows brilliancy, complexity, and discipline... he's serious about his music, he's thoughtful about what he does.” Jazz Times said, “Maybe he made a pact with Lucifer to be the greatest pianist ever." Praised as “a genius beyond most young people I've heard” by Dave Brubeck. Downbeat magazine stated that "his command of his instrument is beyond staggering."

When Eldar Djangirov (pronounced john-'gear-ov) was signed to Sony Classical at the age of 17, the young pianist from Kansas City was already well known for his prodigious pyrotechnics and precocious knowledge of the bebop tradition. Along the way, he's had the good fortune to meet and work with the masters including Dr. Billy Taylor, Marian McPartland, Dave Brubeck, Michael Brecker, Wynton Marsalis, Joshua Redman, Nicholas Payton, Harvey Mason, Ron Carter, Pat Martino and many others. Through these opportunities and other wonderful musical experiences, Eldar continues to explore new frontiers through composing and performing, enabling him to ultimately to realize his own musical vision.

Born on January 28, 1987, Eldar came to the U.S. from the former Soviet Union when he was ten. Among his first performances were in his hometown of Kansas City, as well as The Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan. He quickly then moved up the ranks and was featured on the NPR Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz show at the age of twelve. He released two albums independently. Eldar signed with Sony and recorded his major label self-titled debut featuring the great bassist, John Patitucci, and Michael Brecker on tenor sax. He followed up with the critically acclaimed "Live at the Blue Note" with guest appearances by Roy Hargrove and Chris Botti in 2006. Eldar was nominated for a Grammy in 2008 for his album "Re-imagination."

Eldar has appeared at numerous major jazz festivals including Tokyo Jazz Festival, Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, Java Jazz Festival, Vienna Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, and San Francisco Jazz Festival and has toured extensively throughout North America, Europe and Asia. He has performed at venues ranging from the Hollywood Bowl to Carnegie Hall and has played at the most notable jazz venues across the world. Eldar has been seen on national TV including the 2000 and 2008 Grammy Awards, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, CBS Saturday Early Show, and Jimmy Kimmel Live.

In addition, he has also played with world renowned symphony orchestras such as NHK Symphony Orchestra, Russian National Orchestra, and San Diego Symphony Orchestra. He has 4 critically acclaimed trio albums including the most recent "Virtue" featuring his trio Armando Gola (bass) and Ludwig Afonso (drums) as well as guest appearances by Joshua Redman and Nicholas Payton. "With the release of Virtue, Eldar may have sealed his role in future jazz history" (Bill Meredith, Jazziz).

Eldar's current album and first solo piano album entitled "Three Stories" has already garnered rave reviews. "This is certainly jazz piano, but it's the kind that belongs in a recital hall... Djangirov gets to the heart of every song" (Dan Bilawsky, All About Jazz); "Something special goes on here… In Djangirov's hands, the piano is a dramatic personage" (Karl Stark, Philadelphia Inquirer); "Djangirov's playing is, simply, flawless" (Jeff Tamarkin, All Music Guide)
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/eldar-djangirov

Release

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Eldar Djangirov - Rhapsodize

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:02
Size: 156,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:42) 1. A Night in Tunisia
(6:35) 2. Airport
(6:52) 3. Anthemic
(6:19) 4. Willow Weep for Me
(6:42) 5. Burn
(6:11) 6. Black Hole Sun
(4:36) 7. Variations on a Bach Prelude
(6:50) 8. In July
(6:59) 9. Rhapsodize
(5:37) 10. Devotion
(6:34) 11. Blackjack

Eldar Djangirov... None other than Dave Brubeck declared him a genius. Dr. Billy Taylor called his music a "brilliantly complex discipline." So, when inevitably asked who the masters of their craft may or may not be, does Eldar Djangirov immediately roll off anyone's tongue? More than likely not. And, with more than a handful of hot releases the 2007 Grammy-nominated Re-Imagination (Sony Music), the flawless and much acclaimed Three Stories (Sony Music, 2011) and the mad energy rush of an eighteen year old on Live at the Blue Note (Sony Masterworks, 2006) who's to blame for that? It's anybody's guess, but here's hoping the peppery fury personified on Rhapsodize brings the pianist back into the active discussion.

In a noble struggle not to blaze and burn too fast, too soon, Rhapsodize finds Djangirov and his biting-at-the-bit cohorts drummer Jimmy McBride and bassist Raviv Markovitz frenetically taking on "A Night In Tunisia" with a purely logical chaos. It bashes and cross-currents, cuts left and right with a laser-like veracity. That same take-no-prisoners aesthetic carries over into the original "Anthemic," a torrential rush of flash and prowess whose barnburner left hand groove, cool breaks and virtuoso intervals are more than enough to keep you guessing long after the trio has moved on.

But between "A Night In Tunisia" and "Anthemic" there's the oddly, or perhaps the oddly refreshing, 1980s-sounding groove of Djangirov's first of seven sparked and emboldened originals, "Airport." A tale of needed inertia among a world always moving, "Airport" rolls with an all-out, locked-in mind meld of Djangirov, McBride, and Markovitz, and their uncanny ability to amaze at any moment. "Willow Weep For Me" displays all the delicacy and humor of Art Tatum's take of 1949 and Tommy Flanagan's 1957 cover.

"Burn" quickly does just that with a fast moving, hard-bop fire. Redefining Soundgarden's grunge standard as this generation's latest jazz cover, "Black Hole Sun" is loosed of its strict rock architecture and set free. It's a marvelous performance, neatly on par with Brad Mehldau's equally expansive rock interpretations (ie: Nirvana's "Smells Like Team Spirit" and "Lithium.") A particularly coltish and frolicsome bounce pervades "Variations on a Bach Prelude" with the lush, "In July" quickly picking up the mantle. Fortunately, Rhapsodize doesn't stop there. And neither should we.~ Mike Jurkovic https://www.allaboutjazz.com/rhapsodize-eldar-djangirov-twelve-tone-resonace

Personnel: Eldar Djangirov: piano; Raviv Markovitz: bass; Jimmy McBride: drums.

Rhapsodize

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Eldar Djangirov - Letter to Liz

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:05
Size: 117,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:23) 1. Amazing Grace
(3:25) 2. Waltz for Debby
(4:42) 3. I Remember Clifford
(4:30) 4. Here's That Rainy Day
(3:52) 5. All the Things You Are
(4:49) 6. For All We Know
(6:03) 7. Sophisticated Lady
(5:59) 8. Lullaby Fantazia
(5:43) 9. It Might As Well Be Spring
(5:15) 10. For Liz
(2:18) 11. Tiger Rag (Arr.By Art Tatum)

Hard bop/post-bop pianist Eldar Djangirov has accomplished something that the vast majority of jazz artists pianists or otherwise will never accomplish: he landed a contract with a major label (Sony Classical) when he still wasn't old enough to vote. It is not uncommon for people to learn to play jazz during their adolescent years (especially in Western Europe), but most of them won't record an album as a leader until they are in their twenties; many won't even be recorded as sidemen until after they reach their twenties. Djangirov, however, started recording as a leader when he was in his mid-teens, and had recorded three albums before his 18th birthday. Djangirov, an immigrant from what used to be the Soviet Union, brings an intriguing variety of bebop, hard bop, post-bop and swing influences to his work. The acoustic pianist (who also plays electric keyboards but is essentially straight-ahead in his approach) has been greatly affected by the clear, crystalline playing of Bill Evans, Dave Brubeck, Keith Jarrett, and Ahmad Jamal; like those musicians, he can be quite lyrical (sometimes in an impressionistic way). But he has also shown his appreciation of Oscar Peterson and Red Garland's funkiness at times, and his other influences range from McCoy Tyner to Bud Powell to pre-bop master Art Tatum. A Djangirov solo might acknowledge anything from Thelonious Monk's angularity to Garland's use of what musicians refer to as "block chords" (a technique that is easy for jazz listeners to recognize even if they don't understand the exact technical meaning of the term). Despite having recorded for Sony Classical, Djangirov is not a classical-oriented musician straight-ahead jazz is definitely his main focus. But like many jazz musicians, he has been influenced by the European classical tradition and can bring some of the Euro-classical vocabulary to his improvisations.

Djangirov was born on January 28, 1987 in Kyrgyzstan in the former Soviet Union, which did away with communism when he was only a child. At the age of five, he began studying the piano with his mother Tatiana Djangirov (who was a music teacher in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan). In 1996, a nine-year-old Eldar Djangirov performed at a jazz festival in Novosibirsk, Russia, where a visiting American jazz supporter named Charles McWhorter heard him for the first time. Feeling that the young pianist had a great deal of potential, McWhorter arranged for him to attend a summer camp at the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan. Djangirov ended up staying in the United States; after leaving Michigan, he lived in Kansas City before making San Diego, CA his home. The improviser's first album, Eldar [D&D], was released in 2001, when he was 14; that disc was followed by the release of his sophomore disc, Handprints, in 2003. In 2004, Djangirov signed with Sony Classical and recorded his third album, which is also titled Eldar [Sony]; the album boasts John Patitucci on bass and Michael Brecker on tenor sax and was given a March 2005 release date. Two years later Eldar released Re-Imagination, which saw the pianist stretching out into solo acoustic piano and even electronica territory. Virtue appeared in 2009.
~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/artist/eldar-mn0000648382/biography

Letter to Liz

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JD Allen - Grace

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:17
Size: 130,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:15)  1. Mass
(5:03)  2. Lode Star
(5:49)  3. Chagall
(5:40)  4. Luke Sky Walker
(5:07)  5. Grace
(3:06)  6. Detroit
(6:11)  7. Cross Damon
(3:36)  8. Pole Star
(5:23)  9. Papillon 1973
(5:59) 10. Selah (My Refuge)
(5:03) 11. The Little Dipper

Tenor saxophonist JD Allen sounds different on Grace-less muscular, more introspective. But while he’s not as aggressive as he has been over his last several albums, he’s playing with just as much confidence. After four records in a sax-bass-drums trio, he’s added a pianist-Eldar Djangirov, no less-to the group. And he’s playing a bit longer. Whereas he kept most of his performances under four minutes on his previous albums, on Grace he lets the band go for five-plus on most tracks. This doesn’t mean he’s abandoned his theory of jazz economy. Less is still more with Allen. He’ll play two notes where other musicians would play four, and he sits out plenty in order to listen to Djangirov ruminate. But Allen has got something more than songs on his mind with Grace, and it’s spelled out in David Michael Greenberg’s meticulous liner notes: This project tells a story, in two acts, a narrative built around the human journey. But being aware of it is not essential to enjoying the music. And the music is transcendent. Themes are implied more than stated. Structure is loose. Musicians have free rein to take liberties and go where their solos take them. Songs like “Detroit” and “Luke Sky Walker” are pleasant without conforming to traditional notions of melody. On “Pole Star,” it’s not immediately clear what Allen is doing: Is that a solo right off the bat, with no theme? Is that all? Is that the bassline, or is Dezron Douglas soloing too? Here comes Jonathan Barber’s drum solo-no, wait, the song’s over. Allen just gets going on “Papillon 1973” with a beguiling solo that begins to build tension when suddenly he stops and lets Djangirov take over. The ballad “Selah (My Refuge),” on the other hand, does have an easily discernible theme, and it invites sax-and-piano exchanges that might be the most beautiful dialogue you’ll hear all year. Song after song, Allen keeps us guessing and on our toes. One thing we do know: His deceptively complex music keeps getting more and more interesting. ~ Steve Greenlee https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/jd-allen-grace/

Personnel:  Acoustic Bass – Dezron Douglas; Drums – Jonathan Barber; Piano – Eldar Djangirov; Tenor Saxophone – J.D. Allen

Grace

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Eldar Djangirov - Three Stories

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:51
Size: 174,1 MB
Art: Front

( 5:11)  1. I Should Care
( 3:56)  2. Prelude In C# Major
( 5:49)  3. Darn That Dream
( 5:00)  4. Windows
( 5:49)  5. Etude Op. 2 No. 1
( 4:53)  6. In Walked Bud
( 5:43)  7. Three Stories
( 4:17)  8. So Damn Lucky
( 4:33)  9. Embraceable You
( 3:33) 10. Russian Lullaby
( 2:58) 11. Air on a G String
( 5:45) 12. Impromptu
(14:59) 13. Rhapsody in Blue
( 3:19) 14. Donna Lee

Since emerging on the worldwide jazz scene in 2004, pianist Eldar Djangirov has been touted for the classical skill he brings to standard jazz and original material alike. With Three Stories, Eldar attacks the classical repertoire itself, mixing a pair of Bach pieces, and one from Alexander Scriabin, with standards by the likes of Sammy Cahn, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk and George Gershwin, plus a few originals. The three stories classical, standards (or popular music he also covers a Dave Matthews tune) and originals are told with a consistent voice that serves to twine and intermix the narratives not unlike Claude Simon's fiction. By the time the penultimate "Rhapsody in Blue" rolls around, the inventive mix in Gershwin's jazz concerto can be heard anew. The album is Eldar's first solo piano recording and first, incidentally, to feature his full name on the cover (whether this signals an attempt to move away from the one-name moniker he has favored heretofore is unclear). He opens, appropriately enough, with a full minute's worth of classical flourishes, before advancing the melody of "I Should Care" in any sustained manner. 

But even then, the linear course is brief. The tune having been established, Eldar is off to the races, but it's a neck-and-neck gallop between classical and ragtime motifs. And a brief pause is all that separates this standard of popular music and Bach's "Prelude in C# Major" the exuberant runs that course Bach's piece stemming, seemingly, from Cahn's to bore into the German heart and emerge not much later as the dust from Tchaikovsky's "Sugar Plum Fairy" sprinkling over Van Heusen's "Darn That Dream." The high-end, raspy plunkings that form the sleepy melody of "Dream" constitute, perhaps, the album's most inspired crossing of musical tracks.

Other highlights include a take on Monk's classic celebratory piece, "In Walked Bud," here rendered with a deep undercurrent of pain, an abiding melancholy (if yet shy of all-out misery), stabbing dully but consistently at the daily effort of coming and going of sitting, of waiting, of walking in even as the motion surges inevitably ahead. Gershwin's "Embraceable You" is achingly beautiful, romantic and maybe too sweetly sentimental for some the crush of heavily scented roses but the piece never lacks for intelligence. And when Eldar reaches the "Rhapsody" apex, the entire weave of musical stories comes to seem an undressing of Gershwin's mind, his brain rattling the "musical kaleidoscope of America" on a train ride to Boston. Tchaikovsky and Scriabin are dead. Stravinsky's in flower. And the tracks race into America for all the wild vagabonds to jump onboard. Eldar stitches his one-man concerto with improvised "orchestral" fills, allowing the glimpse of a time, not far off, when the soloist will rage over the stateliness of symphonies  ragtime-infused or not. It hardly seems an accident that the pianist closes his album with a Charlie Parker tune. ~ Matt Marshall  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/three-stories-eldar-djangirov-sony-masterworks-review-by-matt-marshall.php
 

Personnel: Eldar Djangirov, piano.

Three Stories

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Eldar Djangirov - Eldar

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:53
Size: 133,1 MB
Art: Front + Back

(3:21)  1. Sweet Georgia Brown
(5:30)  2. Nature Boy
(7:38)  3. Moanin'
(6:55)  4. Point of View with Michael Brecker
(2:46)  5. Raindrops
(5:01)  6. Lady Wicks
(6:57)  7. Maiden Voyage
(6:22)  8. 'Round Midnight
(4:16)  9. Ask Me Now
(5:39) 10. Watermelon Island
(3:23) 11. Fly Me to the Moon

Eldar more than lives up to the hype. If the opening Tatum-esque "Sweet Georgia Brown" doesn't bowl you over with his demonstration of articulate talent, try his head-spinning version of "Maiden Voyage" that makes the original sound absolutely archaic. Don't think this teen is simply some trained freak show. He is able to demonstrate speed with plenty of emotional depth. His incredibly insightful take on "Nature Boy," as well as his own deeply Debussy-influenced "Raindrops," demonstrate maturity far beyond his age. The pianist shows absolutely no signs of intimidation or deferment with his illustrious sidemen: John Patitucci (bass), Michael Brecker (tenor saxophone), or Todd Strait (drums). Whether using a range on the piano that rivals McCoy Tyner, sparring to a draw with Brecker ("Point of View'), or waxing rapturously rhapsodic on Monk's "Ask Me Now," Eldar is not demonstrating potential that hopefully will reach an artistic zenith; he has hit the ground running and the earth is shaking. ~ George Harris  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/eldar-eldar-djangirov-sony-classical-review-by-george-harris.php#.VB4ZlxawTP8
 

Personnel: Eldar: piano; John Patitucci: bass; Todd Strait: drums; Michael Brecker: tenor saxophone.

Eldar

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Eldar Djangirov - Viture

Styles: Post-Bop, Piano Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:42
Size: 161,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:23)  1. Exposition
(5:43)  2. Insensitive
(9:09)  3. Blues Sketch In Clave
(5:24)  4. Iris
(7:06)  5. The Exorcist
(6:34)  6. Lullaby Fantazia
(5:57)  7. Blackjack
(7:53)  8. Long Passage
(6:19)  9. Estate
(6:11) 10. Daily Living
(3:00) 11. Vanilla Sky

Eldar Djangirov continues hell-bent on dazzling audiences with his impressive technique, speed-demon array of notes, and music that is displaying more of a jagged edge and abject angular inventions. The staggeringly pronounced music he is making takes a different turn on Virtue, utilizing horns and synthesizers, but it's mostly his kamikaze acoustic piano  frequently turning on a dime that is the centerpiece. Djangirov receives help from Joshua Redman, who plays tenor and soprano sax, and trumpeter Nicholas Payton on one cut apiece, as well as saxophonist Felipe Lamoglia on four selections. Rarely displaying reserve, Djangirov is fully gassed up and ready to wail on these pieces that require acute listening skills to hear everything being dished out, but for him must seem naturally supercharged. Those impressed with pyrotechnics will likely be blown away by tracks like the busy horn-driven road song on cobblestones "Exposition," with Redman; the powerhouse piece "The Exorcist," with astounding invention and a bit of synth flavoring; and the jumpy, superball-in-a-squash-court "Blackjack," featuring Payton. Funky rock beats dominate the youth-oriented "Blues Sketch in Clave," featuring Lamoglia's tenor and soprano, while "Vanilla Sky" is another craggy, loose-cannon tune in odd meters fused by Lamoglia's soprano.

Slightly throttled, "Lullaby Fantazia" is a lithe and soulful 4/4 track with a 5/4 modal insert that is more organic and breathing than steaming along. "Daily Living" takes into account the elfin flourishes of Chick Corea, while also adopting staggered phrasings, electric keyboards, and a sound that can strike a kinship with peers like Robert Glasper and Aaron Parks. Some trio-only tracks with electric bass guitarist Armando Gola and drummer Ludwig Alfonso including the pretty, cascading "Insensitive," the actual introspective and delicate "Iris," and the real ballad take of the classic "Estate" all show that Djangirov can ramp down the thunder and lightning into low-watt, sustainable, impressionistic motifs. While not all bombast and the high drama has its valid virtuosity the variations are either black or white, with no interest in the middle ground or a larger color palette. This is Eldar's eighth CD, at age 22 still a very young and maturing musician who has a lot to offer and gives it all up in one fell swoop. Strap in for the ride. ~ Michael G.Nastos   http://www.allmusic.com/album/virtue-mw0000827137

Viture

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Eldar Djangirov Trio - Breakthrough

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:04
Size: 167,9 MB
Art: Front

( 7:59)  1. Point of View Redux
( 5:49)  2. Somebody Loves Me
(10:00)  3. Breakthrough
( 5:48)  4. What'll I Do
( 4:02)  5. Morning Bell
( 6:50)  6. In Pursuit
( 3:19)  7. No Moon At All
( 7:53)  8. Hope
( 7:43)  9. Tokyo Pulse
( 8:46) 10. Blink
( 4:52) 11. Good Morning Heartache

"Point Of View Redux" the eight-minute-long opener on pianist Eldar Djangirov's Breakthrough doesn't exactly say it all, but it says a hell of a lot. A firmly delivered flourish flies through the air in the opening seconds, a rollicking riff sets things in motion as titan-like technique powers the warp-speed explorations that follow, things take a bluesy turn for a spell, and Djangirov generates enough energy to power an entire city block along the way. This aptly-titled number serves as a musical manifesto-of-sorts, as Djangirov wears his likes on his sleeve and in his hands; this album is, indeed, a breakthrough, but not a completely unexpected one.

As a very young pianist getting a lot of press, Djangirov was subject to the usual raves and criticism that accompany the arrival of a child prodigy. Many a writer found nice things to say about the technique that this promising pianist possessed, and a few people found fault in the fact that his technique was the dominant aspect of his artistry; twelve year olds, apparently, tend to be easy targets for those perched behind a desk. Now, at the ripe old age of twenty six, Djangirov has delivered something that may just get the majority of those betting against him early on to rethink things.

Breakthrough is a portrait of the artist as a young man, but this young man already knows who he is, what he wants to say, and how he plans on saying it. Djangirov can be direct and transparent in his musical delivery ("No Moon At All") or purposefully duplicitous ("Breakthrough"). He takes some classics at face value and twists others a bit to suit his viewpoint ("Somebody Loves Me"), but all of his decisions are ultimately made for the good of the performance(s).

This is a trio outing, and a fine one at that, but it doesn't always feel like a three man show. Djangirov's music can be incredibly busy and complex or simple and elegant. He uses breakaway piano episodes as opportunities to explore the solo piano realm within a trio context and he has no problem asking his trio mates to shift from background to foreground, depending on what the music calls for; they comply beautifully. Saxophonist Chris Potter and vibraphonist Joe Locke drop in on one number apiece, further adding to the feeling that this isn't a run-of-the-mill trio date. Potter works his magic on the knotty title track and Locke joins in on the heart-pounding "Blink."

Djangirov's passive-aggressive pianistic tendencies make Breakthrough into a tale of two personality traits. One minute he might be ruminating on a classic theme in contemplative fashion and the next minute he might be tearing through one of his tricky originals like a post-modern Chick Corea on uppers. This who-knows-which-Djangirov-you'll-get approach is at the heart of the brilliant Breakthrough. ~ Dan Bilawsky   

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=44993#.UrrgN7TJI0g

Personnel: Eldar Djangirov: piano; Armando Gola: bass; Ludwig Alfonso: drums; Chris Potter: tenor saxophone (3); Joe Locke: vibraphone (10).

Breakthrough

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Eldar Djangirov - Live At The Blue Note

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:15
Size: 178,5 MB
Art: Front

( 8:00)  1. What Is This Thing Called Love
( 9:37)  2. Someday
( 6:12)  3. You Don't Know What Love Is (feat. Chris Botti)
( 8:18)  4. Daily Living
( 9:39)  5. Dat Dere
( 8:10)  6. Besame Mucho
( 7:02)  7. Straight, No Chaser (feat. Roy Hargrove)
( 5:51)  8. Sincerely
(10:33)  9. Chronicle
( 2:50) 10. Take The A Train

Intimate and sparkling with effervescent joy, Eldar's appearance at the Blue Note in New York clearly brought a persuasive force to his audience. He's spontaneous and personable for this program of six standards and four originals, steering his acoustic trio through lovely straight-ahead territory with class. Trumpeter Chris Botti guests with the trio on "You Don't Know What Love Is, waxing romantic with a heartfelt reading of this romantic evergreen. He's in top form, giving jazz's mainstream a winning ballad appearance that proves convincing. Botti and Eldar both enjoy an eloquent manner that allows for an intimate musical conversation between friends. Trumpeter Roy Hargrove guests on Monk's "Straight, No Chaser, returning the ensemble to the kind of heyday when Bird, Diz, Bud, and Max ruled New York's nighttime jazz scene with a firm hand.

Hargrove and Eldar drive this one hot and fast, taking no prisoners, as they let their passions rule the evening. It's during up-tempo romps such as this one that we clearly see Eldar's impressive talent with the piano keys and understand the phenomenal nature of his attack. The big question of the night: Does Eldar have enough maturity and experience to interpret down-to-earth features such as "Dat Dere and "Besame Mucho with true feeling? The answer is a resounding and emphatic yes. Eldar's amazing technique puts a spin on each selection that translates into a memorable experience. He's unforgettable. ~Jim Santella  

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=25959#.Uq4TQrRc_vs

Personnel: Eldar Djangirov: piano; Marco Panascia: double bass; Todd Strait: drums; Chris Botti: trumpet (3); Roy Hargrove: trumpet (7).

Live At The Blue Note

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