Renowned jazz pianist and composer Laszlo Gardony celebrates the release of his new album, "Close Connection" (Sunnyside Records) which features Laszlo's trio: John Lockwood (bass), Yoron Israel drums)
โIt's a confluence of musical styles in a highly interactive trio setting, where Laszlo's Central European folk roots come to the fore alongside his lifelong love of jazz standards and his youthful infatuation with '70s prog-rock. It's where Bartok meets Monk and King Crimson, filtered through Gardony's unique prism and expertly interpreted by his longtime simpatico rhythm tandem of bassist John Lockwood and drummer Yoron Israel. And he calls it New Prog Jazz.โ ...
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Renowned jazz pianist and composer Laszlo Gardony celebrates the release of his new album, "Close Connection" (Sunnyside Records) which features Laszlo's trio: John Lockwood (bass), Yoron Israel drums)
โIt's a confluence of musical styles in a highly interactive trio setting, where Laszlo's Central European folk roots come to the fore alongside his lifelong love of jazz standards and his youthful infatuation with '70s prog-rock. It's where Bartok meets Monk and King Crimson, filtered through Gardony's unique prism and expertly interpreted by his longtime simpatico rhythm tandem of bassist John Lockwood and drummer Yoron Israel. And he calls it New Prog Jazz.โ
Bill Milkowski (Contributor to DownBeat and Jazziz Magazines)
Internationally acclaimed Boston-based jazz pianist and composer Laszlo Gardony is one of the most expressive and technically skilled pianists working in jazz today. โA formidable improviser who lives in the moment" (JazzTimes), Gardony has performed in 27 countries and released 13 albums: ten albums on the Sunnyside label, two on Antilles, and one on Avenue Jazz during his distinguished, decades-long career. Winner of the Great American Jazz Piano Competition, Gardony has been noted for his "fluid pianism" by The New York Times. The legendary Dave Brubeck called him "a great pianist."
His 14th album as a leader, โClose Connectionโ will be released on December 2, 2022 on Sunnyside Records. The album features his trio of 20 years: Yoron Israel (drums) and John Lockwood (bass.)
Laszloโs performances convey the joy of inspired creation, audience connection, and moving spontaneous improvisations. Gardony's concerts are one-of-a-kind performances drawing from deep feeling, prodigious technique, and a playful curiosity that thrives on interpreting each unique moment. His critically acclaimed 2019 live solo piano album, โLa Marseillaiseโ features his compositions, his arrangements of standards, a classic Italian song, a re-imagination of an iconic French revolutionary song and spontaneously created pieces. New York City Jazz Record says of the album: โโLa Marseillaiseโ is a grand organic take on creating music in the moment.โ JazzTimes states: โThe improvised pieces are bright and majestic examples of on-the-fly creativity at its most developed.โ
His previous solo album Serious Play (Sunnyside) was named one of the Best Jazz Albums of 2017 by DownBeat Magazine: "Serious Play combines spontaneity and intent. Improvised in the studio, it's a harmonious, emotionally intense whole that sounds like a concert rather than an arbitrary collection of tunes. No matter how busy Gardony becomes, there's a stillness at the center of his music, a distinctive amalgam of central European folk strains, majestic classical piano and improvisational fearlessness." Both Serious Play and Gardony's 2015 live sextet album Life In Real Time were named by the Boston Globe as one of the "10 Best Jazz Releases of the Year."
Gardony has performed and/or recorded with artists including Dave Holland, Miroslav Vitous, Bob Moses, Mick Goodrick, Yoron Israel, John Lockwood, Jamey Haddad, Bill Pierce, Don Braden, and Stan Strickland. In addition to his own recordings on Sunnyside, Antilles and Avenue, his compositions, arrangements and playing have been featured on jazz releases from Blue Note, Accurate, Rounder, and Ronja Music. Besides being an exceptionally successful band leader, Laszlo is also a sought-after sideman. Other artists who featured him on their recordings include drummer Yoron Israel, flutist, Christian Artmann, guitarist Garrison Fewell, Matt Glaser's Wayfaring Strangers, and singer Shelley Neill.
A Professor of Piano at Berklee College of Music, and on faculty at Harvard Universityโs โJazz Combo Initiativeโ program, Gardony continues to divide his time between composing, recording, concerts and teaching, committed to living an inspired, truthful, and productive life in music.
http://www.lgjazz.com
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