Breakthrough

Breakthrough

GRAMMY®-nominated pianist Eldar Djangirov has gone from child prodigy to accomplished bandleader since making his major-label debut in 2005 at age 17. Since then, his dazzlingly complex compositional brand of jazz has provided plenty of pyrotechnics—so much so that it practically leaves listeners in a sweat. Breakthrough continues in this post-bop vein, with his working band of bassist Armando Gola and drummer Ludvig Alfonso also providing plenty of heat. Among the six originals here, highlights include the lengthy and downright tricky “Breakthrough” (with guest Chris Potter on tenor saxophone) and the high-energy “Blink” (with other guest Joe Locke on vibes). Of the five varied covers, the group moves from a relatively straight reading of Radiohead’s “Morning Bell” to a solo piano version of “Good Morning Heartache” to an elegant bass-and-piano version of Irving Berlin’s “What’ll I Do.” Those looking to hear the pianist explore his ongoing classical side can turn to “Bach Brahms Prokofiev,” a solo work that was released simultaneously.

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