Jason Moran solo

The extraordinary pianist and composer Jason Moran is embarking on a solo journey through the music of the great Duke Ellington—as a tribute, a remembrance, and a reinterpretation. As Moran himself says, it took decades before he felt ready to open the door to Duke’s mastery as a composer, bandleader, and above all, as a pianist. The result showcases Moran at the peak of his skill and virtuosity. Deeply immersed in the historical and musical significance of Ellington, whose work he reinterprets through his own artistic lens, Moran—with respect and great sensitivity—reveals himself as a master of dance-like, intertwining melodic lines, through which he creates an entire universe of sound. Like a painting of explosive color gradients, impasto and shimmering.

Pianist, composer, and visual artist Jason Moran is considered one of the most idiosyncratic and innovative musicians in American jazz. In a single year, he won the DownBeat Critics’ Poll in three categories: Jazz Artist, Pianist, and Jazz Album. His Bandwagon Trio is hailed by The Guardian as “one of the best jazz groups in the world.” Moran has an impressive discography featuring albums on renowned labels such as Blue Note and ECM—both under his own name and in collaboration with artists such as Archie Shepp, Charles Lloyd, Milford Graves, Paul Motian, and soprano Alicia Hall Moran, his life partner.