Pianist
classical, jazz, crossover… Dubbed “a dazzling piano player” by Herbie Hancock.
Kristjan Randalu
- born in 1978
- the son of two classical pianists of Estonian origin
- studies in Karlsruhe, Stuttgart, Cologne, and at the Royal Academy of Music in London
- in 2003 moved to New York City, completed education at the Manhattan School of Music (Master of Music Degree)
- 2005 & 2006: Henry Mancini Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles
- performed on the two-time Grammy nominated album Elevation
- classical, jazz, and cross-over projects with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra and the New Chamber Orchestra of Berlin, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra
- performances in Europe, Israel, Turkey, Canada, the USA…
- co-operations with Alex Acuna, Jay Anderson, Quincy Jones, David Liebman, Christian McBride, Vince Mendoza, Bob Mintzer, the Modern String Quartet, Dennis Russell Davies, Maria Schneider
- 2007: the Jazz Award of Baden-Wuerttemberg, one of the most notable Jazz awards in Germany
- 2011: Elion Jazz Award, Estonia
- an official Steinway artist
- performances at such venues as Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center
- 26 CDs and DVDs
Download: Kristjan Randalu (photo by Abraham Nowitz / NY, jpg, 300dpi, 2610 KB), Kristjan Randalu (photo by Abraham Nowitz / NY, jpg, 300dpi, 2650 KB), Kristjan Randalu in Antarctica (photo by P Vähi, jpg, 300 dpi, 2334 KB)
Records released by ERP
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DVD: ENTER DENTER Kristjan Randalu (piano) & Tallinn Chamber Orchestra 2010 ERP 2609  Watch on YouTube |
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CD: ENTER DENTER Kristjan Randalu (piano) & Tallinn Chamber Orchestra 2010 ERP 3710  Each One’s Own Piano and Orchestra (trad / K Randalu), fragm, live, 3 min 17 sec, mp3 |
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CD: NONSTOP Music by Pärt, Schnyder, Randalu ao Performed by Martin Kuuskmann and Kristjan Randalu 2010 ERP 2209 #6, Pärt. Spiegel im Spiegel, fragm, 4 min 31 sec, mp3 #10, Schnyder. Sonata, Mov IV, fragm, 2 min 12 sec, mp3 |
Press resonance
If it is the ultimate compliment to suggest an improvising pianist is playing in a Keith Jarrett manner, then Kristjan Randalu can begin celebrating. (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, USA)
The Estonian pianist Kristjan Randalu establishes himself as part of an elite group of specifically European jazz musicians. Randalu is at once a tightrope walker and a precision mechanic, an equilibrist and a thimblerigger, but also a committed swinger who can bite into ostinato figures. His ability to play dissonances against the established harmony is wonderfully bold. He cuts through strings of harmonic beads, and makes his notes suddenly cavort with a new set of rules. (Frankfurter Allgemeine, Germany)
Mõnikord mõjub üsna värskendavalt üks akadeemilise kavaga, kuid ettekandeliselt üldsegi mitte akadeemiline kontsert. /…/ Sisuliselt oli tegemist Kuuskmanni-Randalu plaadi esitluskontserdiga, kuna Estonian Record Productions üllitas just nüüd nende CD “Nonstop”… Mis puudutab ansamblikooslust Kristjan Randaluga, siis esituslikult oli kõige põnevam kahtlemata Šveitsi päritolu Daniel Schnyderi (1961) Sonaat fagotile ja klaverile. … Randalu on nii jõulise mängumaneeriga pianist, et kippus skertsos oma dünaamikaga fagotti lausa nurka suruma. Muuseas, Kuuskmanni-Randalu plaadil “Nonstop” mingit kõlatasakaalu nihet tolles skertsos ei tekkinud. (Igor Garšnek, Sirp, 07.05.10, Estonia, whole article)
… sarjas “Müstilised kõlad” viimati teoks saanud Kristjan Randalu kontsert õigustas pealkirja täielikult, sest kui mängu on toodud juba selline isik nagu Gurdžijev, siis enam müstilisemaks minna ei olegi võimalik. /…/ Kristjan Randalu esitas Estonia kontserdisaalis paarkümmend Gurdžijevi-Hartmanni pala, suurema osa klaveril, kuid mõne ka harmooniumil ja tšelestal. Kontserdi eel ei olnud sugugi selge, mis ees ootab. /…/ Salapära tuli kontserdile kasuks… selles peitub tegelikult väga suur võlu. Kristjan Randalu pärisosa on džässmuusika. Seetõttu intrigeeris kindlasti paljusid küsimus, kuivõrd kajastub tema džässitaust Gurdžijevi-kavas? /…/ Kuid kuuldut ei ole põhjust džässiga seostada, ehkki džäss mängib kindlasti olulist osa kas või juba selles, et Randalu üldse soostus sellist vähetuntud muusikat esitama. /…/ Niisiis ei ole sugugi imekspandav, et just džässi kogemusega pianistide hulgast kerkib tihti eestkõnelejaid repertuaarile, mida teised, ainult õhtumaise akadeemilise taustaga muusikud mõneti pelgavad. (Aare Tool, Sirp, 23.01.15, Estonia, whole article)
