Historicity

Personnel: Vijay Iyer (piano); Marcus Gilmore (drums).
Audio Mixer: Scotty Hard.
Liner Note Author: Vijay Iyer.
Recording information: Systems Two Studios, Brooklyn, NY (11/03/2008/03/31/2009).
Photographer: Dave Morgan.
Arranger: Vijay Iyer.
Vijay Iyer has captured the ears of critics and listeners like only a handful of the most elite jazz pianists since McCoy Tyner, Cecil Taylor, or Misha Mengelberg initially burst onto the scene. There's no other single player who sounds even remotely like him, few who can match his inventive and whimsical sense of play or seriousness, and absolutely nobody who presents the stunning, highly intelligent music he dishes out. With HISTORICTY, he touches on many different levels of acumen, influenced by contemporary alternative rock, Motown, show tunes, pop fusion, the early creative music of the '70s, and ethnic strains. Iyer also revisits two of his older compositions, with the majority of this progressive jazz -- whether "covers" or originals -- done completely in his own scintillating style.