Dutch
Yaron First Review in Holland !
Mon 15 Jan 2007
YARON HERMAN OFFERS SEDUCTIVE, TRANSPARENT WORLD OF MUSIC
Volkskrant Décember 21st 2006
After the encore you could have dropped a needle in the Bimhuis. Not because pianist Yaron Herman played a bad concert but because it was beautiful. For a few more minutes the audience could remain in Herman's seductive, transparent world of music, before the applause and cheering brought back daily reality. It was almost a shame to break this moment of silence that should have lasted an eternity. The few people that came to listen to the solo concert of this relatively unknown pianist will be able to say later that they was actually there: at Herman's Dutch debut. It won't take long before his concerts will be sold out. From the moment on where Mehldau will become a little boring, Jarret won't be heard at all over here and other American colleagues will become too smooth, there will be this 25 year old Parisian, born in Tel Aviv and dropout of the famous Berklee School of Music.
Jarret is a great inspiration for Herman (including pulling faces, humming along and standing up while performing) but he has his own sound. His timing is relaxed, sometimes hanging in there heavily. He incorporates classical technique in his playing but this seems to come more from modern work, with more weight, than from the 19th century that is so beloved by jazz pianists. The unraveling of known jazz standards and pop classics has been done by musicians since years now, but it never sounded so exciting and compelling as with Herman. Searching and improvising he creates orchestrations filled with powerful images and a subtle sense of humor. He would let the grand piano roar, buzz and flash without showing off on purpose. The carefully focused energy is a parallel with the best pop music of this moment.
Yaron Herman is truly contemporary.
KOEN SCHOUTEN