| Jazz |
There is an undeniable charm to this new release from pianist and composer Bijan, who steps onto the exposed terrain of solo piano, an arena where no note can hide and where a musician’s artistic allegiances often reveal themselves more clearly than in any ensemble setting. What emerges here is a portrait of an artist profoundly shaped by a classical upbringing, a heritage that saturates his compositional choices. Although this is presented as a jazz album, the music is anchored in the grammar, symmetry and discipline of contemporary classical writing. Nothing, it seems, is meant to disrupt or disturb; everything is carefully chiseled, almost ceremonially arranged. The harmonies follow predictable routes, not out of hesitation but out of long-trained instinct. It is as if the conservatory remains the ghost in the room, quietly dictating the rules.
The story of how Bijan fell into jazz feels almost like the opening scene of a coming-of-age film. As a high-school freshman, he found himself thrust onto the stage of the SOKA Performing Arts Center alongside Grammy-winning Latin jazz flutist Nestor Torres. The auditorium lights, the unfamiliar rhythmic language, the thrill of improvisation happening just inches awa, something in that moment cracked open. Blessed with perfect pitch, he absorbed the music instantly, navigating a world he had only glimpsed from afar. Weeks later, he discovered Oscar Peterson and Kenny Barron, and from that point forward, jazz was no longer an elective; it was a calling.
Yet even as jazz claimed him, classical discipline never loosened its grip. Bijan pursued prestigious academic path, the Presser Foundation scholarship, a bachelor’s degree in jazz piano from the Manhattan School of Music, a master’s from Michigan State University. He studied with Phil Markowitz, Fred Hersch, Garry Dial and Xavier Davis, teachers known not only for technical precision but for the philosophical weight they bring to interpretation. These influences, layered atop his early classical immersion, created a tension that runs through his entire musical identity: the push between expression and structure, freedom and form, risk and refinement.
His career blossomed both as a soloist and as a deeply valued collaborator. He became the musician other musicians rely on, the arranger capable of shaping a project with elegance and intention. Rodney Whitaker, Carmen Lundy, Luther Hughes, Joe Lovano, Stefon Harris, Lewis Nash, Joe LaBarbera and John Webber have all drawn on his expertise, as have rising voices like Allen Dennard, Erena Terakubo, Giveton Gelin, Roxy Coss, Altin Sencalar, Tyreek McDole and Will Lyle. In these contexts, his precision becomes an asse,a way of bringing order to complexity, of giving each artist a perfectly tailored musical frame.
But in the intimacy of the solo piano, that same precision becomes a double-edged sword. The album’s clarity is undeniable, its craftsmanship admirable, yet its emotional palette sometimes feels constrained by classical expectations. Listeners with conservatory backgrounds will recognize the echoes: Chopin’s introspective lyricism, Liszt’s calculated drama, Dvořák’s warm romanticism. The familiarity can be comfortin,but also limiting. One begins to sense that Bijan’s musical world is a place where structure has won the argument, where the thrill of jazz unpredictability has been politely escorted to the margins.
What emerges is a recording of great refinement, yet one that raises larger questions: What happens to jazz when its improvisational impulse is subdued by classical order? What is gained when precision overtakes ris, and what is lost?
These tensions, embedded in the music, may fascinate some listeners and frustrate others. And the album’s concluding track, a classical reimagining of “Desafinado,” crystallizes this debate. Rather than diving into the Brazilian sway of Jobim’s iconic melody, Bijan transforms it into something like a chamber étude. The result is intriguing, intellectually engaging, but more curious than captivatin, a statement for a niche audience well-versed in classical codes.
Still, this album feels less like a verdict than a moment in an evolving story. One can imagine that on stage, freed from the meticulous quiet of the studi, Bijan might loosen his grip on structure, allowing emotion to flow with greater abandon. Perhaps future recordings will lean further into the frictions that define him, embracing not only the elegance of classical heritage but also the volatile, unpredictable energy that gives jazz its pulse.
For now, he stands at a crossroads, an artist navigating two powerful traditions. And if this album raises more questions than it answers, that may be its most compelling achievement. It suggests that Bijan’s musical journey is still unfolding, and that the most surprising chapters may yet lie ahead.
Thierry De Clemensat
Member at Jazz Journalists Association
USA correspondent for Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief – Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, November 21st 2025
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Musician :
Bijan Taghavi : Composer, pianist
Track Listing :
Wave
I Should Care
I’ll Remember April
Peace
Have you Meet Miss Jones
Ask Me Now
East Of The Sun
Desafinado