Vijay Iyer "Solo"

I first heard Vijay Iyer on his collaboration with Mike Ladd "In What Language" back in 2003. I was blown away by both he and Ladd. Since then I have followed both of their careers closely and have not been disappointed with an album either has released including their second project together "Still Life with Commentator." One thing I wanted to hear was a solo piano album by Vijay Iyer and when he released the aptly named "Solo" almost 2 months ago I got that chance. I will admit I was nervous about the album because I wasn't sure how it would turn out, mainly had I set my expectations too high.
Running through the track list a few songs jumped out at me, mainly the Michael Jackson cover (which Miles Davis also did) "Human Nature," "Epistrophy" made famous by Thelonious Monk, and the Duke Ellington classic "Black & Tan Fantasy."
Iyer's stripped down "Human Nature" is a great choice for starting off the album, giving the listener something they are probably familiar with but one that he takes and makes his own, not an easy feat considering the two giants of music who did the song prior. He follows that up with "Epistrophy" another incredible undertaking, and while it doesn't top Monk's version (then again no one else has done that either) it stands as a solid and original interpretation. Iyer then shows he can hold his own with some of the greats of the jazz world with his covers of "Darn that Dream" and "Black & Tan Fantasy" doing rather straight forward versions of both songs and doing them very well.
The album really begins to shine when Iyer plays his original songs. Where the first 4 tracks show the listener what Iyer is capable of as a "traditional" jazz pianist his own compositions begin to show you why he's become known as one of the most original talents in jazz today. He not only shows his incredible technical proficiency buthe starts to open up and feel at home with "Prelude: Heartpiece" which acts as a buffer between his interpretations and his own creations. Then my jaw drops for the next 15 minutes as "Autoscopy" begins and is followed by "Patterns." I struggle to define just how these two songs sound without asking you to imagine what it would sound like if Monk, Charles Mingus and Roscoe Mitchell composed two songs together.
Just as you think you know what is coming next, the much more introspective "Desiring" begins, showing just how easily Iyer can go from one sound to another and appears comfortable anywhere on the musical landscape.
Steve Coleman's "Games" ends the streak of Iyer originals but continues to show he isn't afraid to leave himself open. Once again, as with the beginning songs I remind myself that these are songs usually performed by groups and Iyer is tackling them head on and at no point are you left feeling like something is missing. Iyer then shows no fear as he follows "Games" with the Duke Ellington piece "Fleurette Africaine" best known for the version that features both Charles Mingus and Max Roach off the album "Money Jungle," while it has a different feel from tension filled original, it works just as well as the exploratory free flowing piece that Iyer has transformed it into. The album ends with another Iyer original "One For Blount" where he pays homage to Sun Ra (born Herman Poole Blount) and does so very well with more impressive piano work but with a touch of that Saturn sound.
After waiting to hear a Vijay Iyer solo album for 7 years I am glad that this album lived up to if not exceeded my expectations. Iyer is one of many of a group of talented young jazz musicians exploring all corners of the musical universe, pushing jazz forward while never forgetting where it started. Highly recommend any fans of jazz get this album or any other Iyer album for that matter.