The mythical phoenix speaks of reemergence and continual
development, flying higher with each rebirth, riding on the
winds of creation. So too does the man of this moment. A
pianist of vast skill and experience, David Kikoski‘s eminence
in serious jazz circles is beyond dispute. He‘s taken deep dives
with everybody from Randy Brecker to Roy Haynes, served
as the harmonic host for the Mingus Big Band, contributed to
expansive cooperative enterprises like Opus 5, and pushed his
own music to the limits and beyond. Kikoski has seemingly
done it all during his three-plus decades on the scene, yet his
playing somehow remains something of an underrated asset.
The phoenix metaphor, hyperbolic though it may be, proves apt
in its embrace of this monumental talent‘s steady surge. This
exciting endeavor makes that case in inarguable fashion.
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