The title of Andy Ezrin's new CD, "I Was Here" was picked because Andy Ezrin was a prodigy on Piano since childhood. When other boys were saving up for Strats and collecting Hendrix recordings, Ezrin was already in love with the Piano. His first professional gig was at the age of 12, and with the advantage of starting his learning career so young, he was able to listen and acquire musical knowledge with many different schools of music provided by major Jazz players like Andre Previn, Oscar Peterson, Keith Jarrett and the Fusion years players like George Benson and Herbie Hancock. He learned his lessons well as you will hear on "I Was There" where Ezrin showcases not only his playing skills but also his brilliance in composing. Ezrin composed the 13 songs on this CD. The playing and the composing of Ezrin's music is outstanding. Sometimes when listening to new music, it requires hearing it more than once before you can understand the greatness of the composing. Not with Ezrin's compositions; while they possess tenderness they also project happiness that allow the listener to assimilate the music at first hearing.
"I Was There" is a powerhouse of Jazz music! I would like to share some of the promotion notes written by Adam Gopnik that were given to me with this CD because they are so wonderful and so true. "No Instrument in Jazz has been more fertile, adaptable and misleadingly evasive than the piano. The most workaday of all instruments-the lectern or drawing board where musicians teach, singers learn, songs get composed, recomposed, arranged and rearranged. It has also been the place of the most sublime flights into personal ecstasy, as with Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett. The Piano also displays the most virtuosic technique as with Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson, or the place of the most profound pure thoughts in Jazz, as with Bud Powell, Lenny Tristano and John Lewis." These wonderfully written words were prompted after listening to the music of Andy Ezrin.
PLAYERS:
Andy Ezrin- Piano, Rhodes, Compositions, Arrangement, Leader
Randy Brecker- Trumpet
Donny McCaslin- Tenor Sax
John Patitucci- Bass
Marcus Gilmore- Drums
Ari Hoenig- Drums
PLAYLIST:
1. Grapes
2. This Is What It Is
3. Greenwoman
4. Luna
5. Siren Song
6. Snowfall
7. Ain't That Some Shit
8. If I Don't See You
9. Wiggle Room
10. Never Enough
11. I'm Runnin' Outta Time
12. Lost Days
13.. Cascades- Andy Exrin Solo
