Eyran Katsenelenbogen © Vincere Sylph

Israeli pianist Eyran Katsenelenbogen has achieved a rare feat among jazz instrumentalists—8 solo recordings. Yet he is a virtual unknown in his adopted country, a fact that should change dramatically with the international release of Solotude, which had its American release last spring. Starting his European tour next month, Eyran will perform solo in Hannover, Germany, September 2; in Sossmar, Germany, September 3; in Rome, September 5; in Luxembourg September 9, and in Scarborough, England, September 17. The recipient of the ASCAP Plus Award for the years 2002-06 and faculty member at the New England Conservatory for ten years, Eyran has pioneered methods of teaching contemporary music performance to children with special needs. His solo improvisations have earned high praise from artists such as Paul Bley to international jazz journals including Jazz Hot (Paris), Cadence (New York), and Jazz Journal International (London).

Eyran Katsenelenbogen was born and raised in Israel, a distant relative of Felix Mendelssohn and Martin Buber. He began classical piano studies with Aida Barenboim (mother of Daniel Barenboim) at age five, and then spent eight years under the tuteledge of Israeli master Menachem Wizenberg. In his mid-twenties, Eyran signed on to Jazziz Records, releasing Jazzonettes (1989) and One Time (1992) which prompted Jazz Journal International to describe him as “an emerging talent to watch.” The success of these recordings lead to a full scholarship to attend the New England Conservatory of Music, where he studied with pianists Ran Blake, Paul Bley, and Fred Hersch, and collaborated with Danilo Perez, George Russell, Jimmy Heath, Gunther Schuller and more. Following his graduation, he joined the NEC faculty’s extension division. There, Eyran has developed innovative techniques for working with children with autism and other special needs. In particular, his work with student Matthew Savage has been featured on ABC’s 20/20, NBC’s Today Show, and the Discovery Channel, and endorsed by the Autism Society of America. Eyran has toured nationally and internationally, appearing in concert, at festivals and on radio.

Eyran Katsenelenbogen

Reviewers have often compared Eyran’s amazing virtuosity to that of Art Tatum, “not only stylistically but technically as well. He has the same complete command of the keyboard, unerring sense of rhythm and improvisational inventiveness…” (Dave Nathan, All Music Guide). Yet his performances and recordings have revealed influences as diverse as Gershwin, Monk, Jarrett, Debussy, Bartok, and stride.

Solotude is Eyran’s 12^th recording, of which 8 are solo efforts. The title is a pun on Ellington’s “Solitude” as well as a combination of “solo” and “etude,” reflecting Eyran’s long-standing commitment to the study of solo piano. For this set, 17 standards are given wholly non-standard arrangements that cover much of the history of jazz, from stride and swing to bop and Monkish excursions, from breathless Tatumesque technique to Brubeckian time experiments, all infused with elements of blues, whiffs of Jarrett (without the rumination), and the majestic lyricism of classical Romantics. This “long-playing” recording (74 minutes) was taped over three years in six sessions including studio and live settings. Despite the multiple sessions, however, Solotude flows like a single suite with common bookends, studio and live renditions of “Do You Love Me?” from Fiddler on the Roof. (For a full review, visit www.jazzpolice.com/content/view/5852/2/; for an exclusive interview with Eyran, visit www.jazzink.com; select Musicians/Interviews).

Eyran’s European tour begins in Hannover, Germany, September 2 at Kanapee ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) 8:00 pm; he moves on to Sossmar, Germany, September 3 at Hummers Kultursalon at 8:00 pm; in Rome, September 5 at the Marcellus Theater, ( www.classictic.com/en/venues/Rome/Area+Archeologica+del+Teatro+di+Marcello/venue_48/10085.html) at 8:30 pm; in Luxembourg September 9,at L’inoui (www.inoui.lu) at 8:00 pm; in Scarborough, England, September 17 at the Stephen Joseph Theater in North Yorkshire (www.sjt.uk.com) at 7:30 pm. More information about Eyran can be found at www.eyran.com