Been a while since I did one of these, but I recently came across this “lockdown” performance by one of my all-time favorite musicians/composers/performers and I had to share.
There is Jazz. There is Piano. There is Cross-Cultural Music. There is Jazz Piano. There is Cross-Cultural Jazz Piano Music.
And then there is Tigran Hamasyan, in whom they all become one, and he becomes one with them. One living, breathing Behemoth of Passion: he and the piano become the one body that delivers forth……this……Universe of Sound.
I have never witnessed another pianist who is so at one with his instrument. I swear that, watching him play, one can see him swinging his instrument around–as much as any Jimi Hendrix or David Gilmour or Joe Satriani does with their guitar–through some kind of 4th-Dimensional Space that he is creating right there in front of us. And he is taking us there, into that space, leading us through strange enchanted lands of Tone and Harmony…
…and Rhythm….let’s not forget what amazing Rhythmical Journeys he is capable of taking us on as naturally as we take a walk down the block for a pack of smokes.
Now, what really gets me about this performance, if you pay attention, is the near-alien, almost inhuman, organic-machine-like movement and precision of his hands (especially the right) that you can see throughout the video but really comes to the fore starting at about the 4:48 mark…..
And, really, if you think about it, it is rather alien…..Tigran and Piano Become One…..a Homunculus of Human Tissue, Steel, Brass, Felt and Wood….(from the elbow up, his right hand really is rather reminiscent of the face-huggers from the Alien movies….no?)
Here is a great in-depth discussion of some (perhaps only a bit) of what Tigran is doing (poly-) rhythmically in his music…if you feel like getting your head bent…..
And here: the two songs mentioned by Mr. Bruce…..if you’re of a mind to hear how all this rhythmical-technical wizardry plays out to create amazing music…..
And here…..finally…..your actual Sunday Soundtrack. Tigran playing an awe-inspiring concert of solo piano music……
Enjoy….and….
You know the drill.
Press play.
Go on about your day.
A Prayer Like Gravity 