Kristjan Randalu could be described in one word if I had to choose one. I’m not referring to a technical precision that makes the audience lose their sense of purpose and leaves them unmoved. He is uncompromising in his determination to find the essence of musical expression and uses a brilliant technique to achieve this goal. He isn’t a showman, although he could. He isn’t a showman. He is more than that. His calm, confident, and honest persona draws people in and makes them want to listen. It’s like an invitation to “unnameable exotic country” (Jazz Times). From where does this quiet determination originate? Randalu was born 1978 in Estonia. When he was young, his family moved to Germany. He studied with Paul Schwarz in Stuttgart and John Taylor in Cologne. After that, he went on to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London and Django Baates in New York. I am looking at photos of a special creative space that he calls “a place of the woods”. The snow is piled high. Winter sun shining through the trees. Inside the wooden cabin, there’s a piano. It is essential to bring home firewood. It’s far from the sounds of New York City or the excitement of performing at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. Yes, it is back in Estonia. The solitude and peace allows him to create and play, but it also allows him to go through and reflect on his many concerts, tours, and collaborations. Programmes from the Berlin Konzerthaus include North Sea Jazz festivals, London, Paris and Istanbul, as well as memories from trips to Montreal, Toronto and Los Angeles, Boston and Egypt. He speaks to me about the musicians that inspire him or the musicians with whom he has worked. These include the saxophonist Dave Liebman, the drummer Ari Hoenig, who is known for his polyrhythmic musical world, and his constant interaction with improvisation. Ben Monder, the guitarist, talks about his sense of structure and his search for unique and creative solutions. Randalu studied composition with Jaan Raats and Daniel Schnyder. Erkki Sven Tuur, Tonu Korvits are among his mentors. He has added to his musical circle: EivindAarset, Mark Guiliana and Dieter Ilg. Marilyn Mazur, Vince Mendoza and Nils Petter Molvaer. Trygve Seim, Dhafer Yosef, Trygve, Trygve, Trygve, Dhafer Youssef. Kristjan Randalu, a prominent figure in contemporary music, is admired as both a soloist and a composer as well as for his unique contributions as a member of a team. Estonia has demonstrated to the world that it has many musical treasures in modern music, jazz, classical, jazz, and traditional music. Randalu has taken a lot of that palette with him, not only from Estonia but from other musical spheres around the world. He then created his own work, something unique, strong, passionate, focused, demanding a lot of himself. His music often combines jazz and classical music. For example, his Nach dem Anfang vom Ende piece for piano and chamber orchestra is a classic orchestral score that allows the soloist to be free to improvise. Over 20 years, his duo partnership with Bodek Janke, the percussionist, shows a real wittiness and humor. For example, he composed the Largo from Dvorak’s 9th Symphony. However it retains a respect for the original as well as a sense of the original. He admits that he was a rebel as a child against classical piano lessons and practice (seeing learning the drums a way to escape), but he still has a deep respect and affinity for many classical composers, including Prokofiev, Shostakovich’s captivating darkness, and Liszt for his relentless exploration of the limitations of the piano. Randalu says Bach is the most difficult, as well as Mozart, who requires clarity and transparency in every note. Many people see classical music as a way to enter another universe or world, and so they turn it into a gateway. Kristjan says that Kristjan experienced the paradox of being exposed both to rock and pop music, but only playing classical music. He had to create a band to compose and perform his own music. There’s more to listening than Bach: Randalu discovered Chick Corea’s Elektric Band and loved the precision and flow of Keith Jarrett’s creative flow. He also found strength and determination in Oscar Peterson’s effortless music and fell for the lyricism and passion of Bill Evans. Randalu has high standards but a passion for music that delights both audiences and fellow musicians. He is no surprise that he has won numerous awards and prizes over the course of his career, including the Jazz Award of Baden-Wuerttemberg 2007, which recognizes his close ties to Germany. He was awarded the Elion Jazz Award in 2011, the 2014 Music Award of the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, and the 2018 prize for the Jazz Composer of the year in Estonia. As a soloist or collaborator, he appears on many recordings. These include the 2006 Grammy nomination and the Jazz Album of the year at the 2012 Estonian Music Awards. Randalu still holds to Mozartian standards of clarity and transparency, which is evident in his frequent return to Estonian songs that he has loved since childhood. While he may entertain, dazzle and demonstrate his command of a broad musical language, he also shows his creativity through beautifully executed notes and exquisitely painted colours, engaging the audience with something very basic yet very important. Perfection, pleasure…. Perfection, pleasure… From www.randalu.com
