E-Day At Yoshi's

Eldar Blows Audiences Away With Pyrotechnic Piano Prowess

Eighteen-year-old jazz sensation, Eldar , above,  pounds away at the piano,  during his two-set stint at Yoshi's in Oakland

on June 6, 2005. Historically,  it was D-Day on June 6, but it was E-Day at the famed jazz spot.

at

510 Embarcadero West  -  Oakland, CA 

Monday  -  June 6, 2005  -  10 p.m. set

by

Stephen Fratallone/Jazz Connection Magazine

              June 6 is remembered in World War II history as D-Day, but jazzers who were at Yoshi's Jazz House in Oakland on the evening of June 6, 2005, it was E-Day. That's when 18-year-old jazz sensation Eldar Djangirov (pronounced John-GEAR-off)  -  but known simply to his fans as Eldar  -  came to the renowned jazz spot to launch his own musical assault with his pyrotechnic piano prowess. Like Julius Caesar, he, too, "came, saw, and conquered."

Crowds from all age groups packed the house for each of his two 75-minute sets to hear for themselves what this "whiz kid on the keyboards" is all about at a live show. They are already hip as to what he is about on record, as many came armed with Eldar's current self-titled CD from Sony Classical. Some even attended both sets, because as one older patron said, "We can't get enough of Eldar's playing. He's that good."

Helping to make the teen with the boyish looks sound even better were members of his working trio: Jeff Chambers on bass and Andrew Fockel on drums.

At the 10 p.m. set, Eldar opened with a bouncy rendition of Herbie Hancock's Maiden Voyage, a cut from his new CD. He then launched into two Thelonious Monk tunes: the first  -  an unidentified piece  -  offered an imaginative interpretation on the quirkiness of Monk's harmonic structure. But after the second chorus, it was pure Eldar, soaring on his own, talking no prisoners, for four exciting choruses. While Chambers was taking his bass solo, Eldar got into the groove with some spontaneous and infectious vamping which added more color to the proceedings. The second, piece, 'Round Midnight, also from the album, showcased a soothing, almost ethereal tranquility that came from Eldar's fingers. Hunched over the keyboards in similar vain like Brad Mehldau (but not as excessive), the teen wunderkind seemed to be transfixed, mesmerized, if you will, by the piano keys in front of him.

Even at 18, Eldar is poised to resiliency like that of a seasoned veteran. Just before launching into a solo piano version of Love You Madly, a Duke Ellington tune, the G string (of all strings) snapped on the piano. After a few seconds of adjustment, the Steinway grand was ready for another Eldar workout. With a self-satisfactory "Yeah!" by the headliner, he was back to work "wailing" on the keys in torrid ecstasy.

The pyrotechnics continued with an unusual rendition of Cole Porter's What Is This Thing Called Love? Eldar's fleet-fingered action on the ivories once again moved listeners to "Oohs" and "Ahhs" and appreciative applause, but in this humble writer's opinion, it failed to swing. Perhaps the definitive version by the late clarinetist/bandleader Artie Shaw still reverberates in this listener's ear, thus making it difficult to "hear" newer, more contemporary offerings.

Eldar, far left at the piano, and members of his trio  -  Jeff Chambers, bass, middle, and Andrew Fockel, drums, far right  -  played for full-house audiences during their two sets

at Yoshi's in Oakland on June 6, 2005. This was the first time the 18-year-old piano sensation has performed at the famed jazz spot, taking his fans by storm.

Accommodating fan requests from the audience, Eldar assented to play Nature Boy, also from his album. His compelling and emotionally-charged interpretation of the Eden Ahbez classic quieted Yoshi's to such a hush that only the gentle tickling of glasses by house servers were heard in the background.

A rousing version of Caravan, with a lengthy, harmonically rich intro by Eldar, brought the evening's summit to a close.

As fans were exiting, one person shock his head in amazement and said, "... and he's only 18?"

Yes, Eldar is only 18. While we can sometimes get lost in the wonderment (and at times the novelty) of a brilliant young artist working his craft at a youthful age, we have to remember that many of the greats of jazz started out making a name for themselves while in their late teens and early twenties. Benny Goodman astounded musical veterans at age 16. Louis Armstrong was the talk of New Orleans by age 18. 

Eldar has all the makings of a consummate jazz great. But it's too early to put that moniker on him. He has some growing to do. And grow he will, and sprout into something more fabulous than he is already now. He'll learn to swing better. He'll learn to be more expressive with the musical tapestry he weaves. In short, he'll be Eldar. And the jazz world will be all the better for it.

Click on images below to enlarge.

             Eldar                                                            Eldar                                                     Jeff Chambers                                            Andrew Fockel

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