The Best In British Jazz
Kristjan Randalu
Estonian pianist Kristjan Randalu has been dubbed "a dazzling piano player" by Herbie Hancock. According to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, (about Randalu´s latest 2008 release) "Kristjan Randalu sets himself into an elitist group of specifically European jazz musicians." The son of two classical pianists, Kristjan was exposed to music from an early age, and he continued his studies in Karlsruhe, Stuttgart, Cologne, and at the Royal Academy of Music in London. In 2003, he moved to New York City and completed his education at the Manhattan School of Music, earning a Masters of Music Degree. Additionally, Randalu attended The Henry Mancini Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles (2005 and 2006), where he performed on the two-time Grammy nominated Concord Jazz album "Elevation". As a featured soloist, Kristjan has performed in classical, jazz, and cross-over projects with the National Symphony Orchestra of Estonia, the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra and the New Chamber Orchestra of Berlin in Europe, Israel, Turkey, Canada, and USA. He has worked as a sideman with Alex Acuna, Jay Anderson, Joel Frahm, Quincy Jones, David Liebman, Christian McBride, Vince Mendoza, Bob Mintzer, Mike Moreno, Dick Oatts, Gerard Presencer, Claudio Puntin, the Modern String Quartet, and Maria Schneider. In 2007 Randalu received the Jazz Award of Baden-Württemberg, one of the most notable Jazz awards in Germany. An official Steinway artist, he currently resides both in Karlsruhe, Germany, and in New York City, performing at such venues as The 55 Bar, The Jazz Gallery, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and Carnegie Hall.
