1. Human Nature
2. Epistrophy
3. Darn That Dream
4. Black and Tan Fantasy
5. Prelude: Heartpiece
6. Autoscopy
7. Patterns
8. Desiring
9. Games
10. Fleurette Africaine
11. One For Blount
Vijay Iyer - Piano
In the evolving world of up-and-coming jazz pianists, there are many names that are attracting attention, such as Tamir Hendelman and Hiromi. But the one that seems to have generated the most sparks is Vijay Iyer. In the Jazz Journalists Association Annual Jazz Awards, Iyer was named 2010 Musician of the Year. With the current release of Solo, this pre-eminent position is solidifying.
Offering a combination of Iyer's original compositions along with jazz standards and pop tunes, Iyer works his solo piano magic to deliver a gratifying outing. One might never imagine that the Michael Jackson pop hit Human Nature would lead to an interpretation that would unearth the inner dynamic of the song's arrangement, but Iyer has found it. With Monk's Epistrophy, while the discordance is minimized, the theme is nevertheless carried forward with up-tempo bravado. The standard Darn That Dream is offered in a straight-ahead fashion but without much to differentiate it. As might be expected from any album that contains some Ellington compositions, they often turn out to be the focal point of the set. Black and Tan Fantasy, along with Fleurette Africaine, provides Iyer with the stepping stones to reveal not only his startling technique but his understanding of the music.
Without wishing to be uncharitable, the Iyer compositions that take up a big portion of the disc's running time, while interesting are not arresting. The exceptions might be Prelude: Heartpiece and Autoscopy where Iyer indulges in an exploration of structures and figures that are more contemporary music oriented than might be expected. The final cut on the disc is One For Blount, which is also an Iyer original dedicated to Sun Ra (a.k.a. Herman "Sonny" Blount) which demonstrates that he has listened to the meaning behind the playing, not just the sharps and flats.
The challenge for any pianist embarking on a solo album is to cover all those gaps and interludes that are usually filled by bass and drums, with notes and ideas that take hold of the listener. While not done to perfection, nonetheless Iyer has demonstrated that he is a force in modern jazz piano.
Pierre Giroux
CD Reviews
Act 9497-2
