Profile of jazz pianist Pandelis Karayorgis

Tbe Boston News has published a profile of Pandelis Karayorgis.

Karayorgis has forged a personal style influenced by the all-stars of left-of-center jazz piano: the idiosyncratic architecture of Thelonious Monk, the serpentine lines of Lennie Tristano, and the flinty spareness of Ran Blake, among others. What these figures have in common, says Karayorgis, is their purity of focus. Following these forebears, he says, ”I try not to play everything that I possibly could on piano. Playing is really about constant editing. You want to focus on what is really central.”

When he speaks about music, Karayorgis leans forward and his eyes light up. His prominent widow’s peak and infectious grin give him a mischievous mien. Seated at the piano, eyes closed, head bowed over the keys, right leg dancing a sidelong shuffle, he and the instrument seem one. Whether solo, in duet, or with his varied trios, his music remains remarkably open and conversational, moving logically yet unpredictably from phrase to phrase.

Read the full article: Pianist focuses on the essentials