Vijay Iyer

Dubbed one of the "new stars of jazz" by U.S. News & World Report, and one of "today's most important pianists" by The New Yorker, VIJAY IYER [pronounced "VID-jay EYE-yur"] is a forceful, rhythmically invigorating performer who weds a cutting-edge sensibility to a unique sense for compositional balance. Recently in the Village Voice, Gary Giddins described him as "one of the most original and accomplished young pianists in years... Iyer's percussive yet supple keyboard touch is something to marvel at." An exceptional, forward-thinking composer, Iyer draws from African, Asian, and European musical lineages to create fresh, original music in the American creative tradition. His music strikes you as both emotionally expressive and structurally sophisticated, with exuberant improvisations anchored in cyclical rhythmic structures and ringing harmonies. In 2003 he received the Alpert Award in the Arts, a prestigious year-long fellowship to support his innovative, compelling work. In 2004 he was named Up & Coming Musician of the Year in the Eighth Annual Jazz Awards, and in 2003, 2004, and 2005 he placed near the top of the Downbeat magazine international critics' poll in the categories of rising star pianist, rising star composer, and rising star jazz artist.