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 4 stars for technique; 1 star short for lack of depth Aug 15, 2007
I feel I have to come to the defense of the reviewer who expressed reservations about the lack of emotion in Eldar's performances here, because I have to admit that I was struck by the very same thing. Eldar's technique always dazzles me, but his playing rarely moves me. Speaking from a strictly technical standpoint, he can probably play rings around just about anyone else: it would be almost inconceivable to imagine him ever hitting a wrong note. But there is an unsatisfying lack of passion in his playing, a little too much "Gee whiz, look, Ma, no hands!" bravado, but nowhere near enough soul.
Which is not to say I don't enjoy this recording on its own terms - I did buy it and don't regret the purchase, and even if he doesn't quite hit the right chords on an emotional level, Eldar's virtuosity is not without its charm. It will be interesting to hear him some years from now, perhaps, when he's accumulated a little more life experience. Until then, I can think of a dozen other pianists whose work, while perhaps not nearly as technically accomplished as Eldar's, is, for me, far more satisfying.
 Awesome Feb 24, 2007
This is an amazing album, made all the more amazing by the fact this guy is young... we saw him open for a late night Prince concert for two days before New Years and were in awe...
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Give the kid a break! Dec 14, 2006
Yes, he's young. Yes, he's fast. But why does he have to live up to Art Tatum or Oscar Peterson right out of the gate?
He's 19 years old!
Is he a bit gratuitous with the flourishes?.... sometimes..... but I chalk that up to youthful exhuberance.:)
If I could play runs like that, I'd sure want someone to 'know' it!
And no one can deny Eldar's technical prowess, which, at 19 years old, is mastery far beyond his years.
If anyone complains about his 'lack of soul', I have to ask, 'how much soul did 'you' have when you were 19??'
Eldar's soul is not yet at the depth of Art or Oscar, or Dorothy Donegan,who I 'love', but his soul is definitely a whole lot deeper than any 'other' 19 year old I've heard lately. If you really 'listen', you can hear little previews of what is to come from this artist.... fire, introspection, intelligence, humor (I smile everytime I hear his little fills on 'Moanin')....
And when he's 25, he'll sound different from his sound today.
When he's 45 he will have had much more 'life experience'; joy, happiness, sadness, heartbreak; experiences that will transform his soul like a fine aged wine. If Eldar can 'manage' his success, his future is to the moon.
But right now??... the kid is 'scary' he's so good!
5 of 6 found the following review helpful:
One Reviewer Must not understand the piano Jul 26, 2006
I am not sure where the reviewer who was a bit negative is coming from, although certainly entitled to his opinion. The comparisons he makes however, fall short. Comparing Eldar with Joey DeFrancesco or Chick's Electric Band is not valid, because the entities are different and serve a different musical purpose. The kid has it all, and I mean "all". The reveiwer must not understand the piano very well near as I can figure. I have not heard anyone get a "sound" like Eldar does really since Bill Evans, or Oscar Peterson, whom I have heard live 4 times.
Most of the folks I know who gripe about someone having "too much chops", normally don't have too much chops. Oscar took heat for that, too, mainly by people who didn't get it. I am going to go hear Eldar again as soon as I possibly can. Fantastic!!
8 of 8 found the following review helpful:
Incomparable talent Jul 09, 2006
For the 1 reviewer out of 25 who was hypercritical of Eldar's performances as lacking "soul", either the rest of us are crazy or he should rethink his position. I've been a professional pianist for about 32 years and I have never heard anyone master the piano to the extent Eldar does- he is a combination of Vladamir Horowitz, Oscar Peterson, Errol Garner, Bill Evans, you name it- he can play it, and with his own personal signature as well. After hearing him at Yoshi's, I invited 25 friends (many of them professional musicians with years of experience) to hear Eldar in October at the Legion of Honor Museum in SF and not one of them diagreed with my assessment. A virtuoso like this comes along once in a lifetime and there is bound to be one critic who, unable to dispute the remarkable technique, falls back on the tired comment about "soul". If those same criticss heard the same quality coming out of the old masters' hands, then suddenly it would have soul. I guarantee you, unless Eldar gets in a car wreck or self-destructs on drugs or some other foolish vice, he is destined to become one of the all-time greats in the world of jazz piano.
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