The Sound of Surprise: A Vijay Iyer Mini-Festival at Walker Art Center

“Vijay Iyer is, simply put, one of the most interesting and vital young pianists in jazz today.” —Pitchfork
Thursday, March 1
:
Wadada Leo Smith + Vijay Iyer Duo (world premiere)
Vijay Iyer - Solo
The Vijay Iyer Trio (Marcus Gilmore, Stephan Crump, Vijay Iyer)
Friday, March 2
:
Mike Ladd + Vijay Iyer Duo
Vijay Iyer - Solo
Tirtha (Nitin Mitta, Prasanna, Vijay Iyer)
Celebrating the inspired range of musical expression by award-winning composer/pianist Vijay Iyer, this two-night blowout features a broad cross section of projects by “one of the most challenging and satisfying talents in jazz today” (Boston Globe).
Look for his stellar trio (Marcus Gilmore, drums; Stephan Crump, bass), his hot and fresh 21st-century global chamber music trio Tirtha (featuring Indian guitar sensation Prasanna and Indian-American tabla/percussion virtuoso Nitin Mitta), and his genrebusting collaboration with Paris-based hip-hop artist/spoken word poet Mike Ladd, solo piano works (original compositions as well as some inspired re-imaginings of both classic jazz and modern pop songs), and a special duo with experimental visionary jazz artist trumpeter/composer Wadada Leo Smith. Coming after Iyer’s Grammy-nominated album Historicity topped almost every jazz writer’s year-end best-recording lists in 2009, this is a rare and ambitious survey from one of America’s most insatiably curious sonic explorers.
Different programs will be featured each night.