Variations Kevin Hays

Album info

Album-Release:
2011

HRA-Release:
13.07.2018

Label: Pirouet Records

Genre: Instrumental

Subgenre: Piano

Artist: Kevin Hays

Album including Album cover

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FLAC 44.1 $ 11.00
  • 1Variations on a Theme by Schumann I01:01
  • 2Bluetude I03:05
  • 3The Dervish of Harlem I01:16
  • 4Song for the Amiable Child I02:17
  • 5Contrapunctus I02:45
  • 6Rumi's View I03:22
  • 7Countermyth I00:44
  • 8Rhyming Game I01:13
  • 9The Dervish of Harlem II02:49
  • 10Countermyth II01:03
  • 11Langsam02:13
  • 12The Long Line00:46
  • 13Song for the Amiable Child II01:12
  • 14Countermyth III00:51
  • 15Variations on a Theme by Schumann II02:25
  • 16Bluetude II02:28
  • 17Rhyming Game II01:42
  • 18Countermyth IV00:57
  • 19Rumi's View II02:11
  • 20Contrapunctus II02:59
  • 21Song for the Amiable Child III02:18
  • 22The Dervish of Harlem III03:00
  • 23Bluetude III03:49
  • 24Variations on a Theme by Schumann III03:44
  • Total Runtime50:10

Info for Variations



There is a lot to discover in and behind Kevin Hays' piano solo music. It is music that appears to be classical yet deeply breathes in the spirit of jazz. It is the music of a jazz improviser who integrates the vocabulary of various epochs of piano music in an exceptionally natural way, transforming it into a distinctive musical language. Kevin Hays is a musician with an enormous gift for the unusual who creates a fascinatingly integral whole out of a multiplicity of idioms.

“On the whole, Variations tends to lean toward the modern classical side of music, with improvisatory creationism being its one and only true link to jazz, but labeling is beside the point. Variations is pure pianism on parade.” (Dan Bilawsky, All About Jazz)

“With their taut, imaginative beauty, they also share this gifted improviser’s rigorous refusal to dwell for long on any one variation.” (Ray Comiskey, The Irish Times)

“Overall, the music on Variations is tautly focused and bracing … But, with respect, I’d have to say that Hays’ disc possesses a brilliance on its own terms.” (Peter Hum, Ottawa Citizen)

“Touching on everything from Baroque to late Romantic to contemporary classical, Hays applies his own jazz-honed techniques to small gems that may be partially or wholly improvised. Either way, they’re consistently engaging, nearly all giving way to surprising musical depths despite their brevity.” (Philip Booth, Jazz Times)

Kevin Hays, piano



Kevin Hays
(b. 1968 New York City) began to play piano at the age of six. He had his first professional performance at the age of 15, and by the time he was 17 he was playing with baritone saxophonist Nick Brignola. After studying at the Manhattan School of Music he began touring in the United States, Europe, and Japan with the Harper Brothers, Benny Golson, Joe Henderson, and Eddie Gomez, among others. In 1995 Sonny Rollins brought Hays into his ensemble, and later Hays toured with John Scofield. Alongside his solo projects he has been working with his trio, which has included bassists Scott Colley, Larry Grenadier, Doug Weiss and drummers Billy Hart, Jochen Rückert, Bill Stewart, and Jeff Williams. All About Jazz praised Hays’ Pirouet solo CD, Variations as “pure pianism on parade”.

This album contains no booklet.

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