In the car the other day, we were listening, as we always do, to WBGO, Jazz 88.3, which justifiably bills itself as America's greatest jazz station, when we heard a really arresting piano trio performance of the song "'Round Midnight": assured, modulated, haunting. The piano "voice" was not immediately recognizable, but it was clearly one of the greats. I waited for the end of the tune to hear who the pianist was — some famous name in his 60s or 70s, most likely, or maybe some younger classic-jazz aspirant who had mastered the idiom and the depth of feeling of his mentors, like Jacky Terrasson, only better. Only great.
The song ended and WBGO's deejay said in his droll way, "That was EL-DAR." Just the one name.
Eldar? Sounds like something out of "Star Trek," no? I pictured some ultra-cool black dude from the Marsalis generation. I vowed to Google him. Whoever the hell he was, I wanted that CD.
Well, brace yourself. I try to be polite on this blog, but this time I have really lost it: ELDAR IS 18 YEARS OLD, AND . . . AND HE IS FROM FUCKING KYRGYZSTAN.
Yes, you heard me. Kyrgyzstan. His name is Eldar Djangirov. He's been playing the piano since he was 3, and playing jazz since he was 9, and when he was 14 and 15 years old he won top prizes at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival and the Peter Nero Piano Competition. Benny Carter said, "He's one of the most outstanding [or "astounding," in another version of the same quote] artists I've heard in a long, long time." A couple of years ago, Dr. Billy Taylor said, "At age 16, Eldar Djangirov's playing shows brilliancy, complexity, and discipline." He composes and arranges. He's been called "the Tiger Woods of jazz."
This kid is the closest thing there is to proof of reincarnation: he seems to have been Art Tatum in a previous lifetime. Go listen for yourself. Here's his website, with streaming samples.
Article comments
1 - godoggo
OK, I clicked. I'd be amazed by someone twice his age playing like that. Damn little bastard.