Eldar Djangirov

Eldar E. Djangirov, most commonly known only as Eldar, is a jazz pianist. He was born on January 28 1987 in Kyrgyzstan (ex-Soviet Union) and then moved to Kansas, United States. He currently resides in New York City.

Early years

He began playing the piano when he was 3 years old, learning from his Russian parents. The first thing he remembers learning was "C Jam Blues". He later took classical lessons and was "discovered" at age 9 by the late New York City jazz aficionado Charles McWhorter, who saw him play at a festival in Siberia. The family moved to Kansas City, drawn there in large part by the city's jazz history. During his Kansas City years, even before reaching his teens, Eldar already started building a reputation as a true child prodigy, appearing on Marian McPartland's award-winning NPR show, "Piano Jazz", when he was only 12 years old, being the youngest performer to ever appear on her show. Eldar attended St. Elizabeth's grade school in Kansas City, Missouri. Eventually, the family moved to San Diego where he attended the Francis W. Parker School, and then to the Los Angeles area where he attended University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music.

Discography

Eldar has three albums released by Sony Classical, his debut album "Eldar" in March 2005, his album "Live at the Blue Note" in May 2006, and his latest album, "re-imagination" in June 2007.

Eldar
Release Date: March 22, 2005/Sony Classical Records

1. Sweet Georgia Brown
2. Nature Boy
3. Moanin'
4. Point of View
5. Raindrops
6. Lady Wicks
7. Maiden Voyage
8. 'Round Midnight
9. Ask Me Now
10. Watermelon Island
11. Fly Me to the Moon
Live at the Blue Note
Release Date: May 30, 2006/Sony Classical Records

1. What Is This Thing Called Love
2. Someday
3. You Don't Know What Love Is (featuring Chris Botti)
4. Daily Living
5. Dat Dere
6. Besame Mucho
7. Straight, No Chaser (featuring Roy Hargrove)
8. Sincerely
9. Chronicle
10. Take The A Train
Re-Imagination
Release Date: June 05, 2007/Sony Classical Records

1. I Remember When
2. Interlude #1
3. Prairie Village
4. Out of Nowhere
5. Interlude #2
6. Back Home
7. Place St. Henri
8. Tears
9. South Bixel
10. Dream Song
11. Polaris

Playing style

In a number of songs from Re-Imagination, he describes memories of his parents, towns, streets, places he has lived, etc. He is best known for his technique and musicality. Jazz people call him a mixture of Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson. [...] {| class="wikitable"
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External links

* [http://www.eldarjazz.com/ eldarjazz.com] - Official Website
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4633502 NPR story] - Featuring Performances
* [http://www.jazzpolice.com/content/view/6140/117/ JazzPolice.com Review:] Eldar Live at the Blue Note
* [http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/millennium/artist_detail.cfm?artist_id=ELDARDJANG# Kennedy Center] Eldar playing at the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage at the Age of 14.
* [http://podcasts.sonybmgmasterworks.com/category/music-of-masterworks/eldar/ Sony BMG Masterworks Eldar Podcasts]

References

reflistHolden, Stephen. "Leaving Them All in the Dust", New York Times, June 18, 2005. Retrieved 2008-06-06. "Eldar, whose last name is Djangirov, combines Art Tatum's superhuman velocity with echoes of Oscar Peterson's grandeur;"