Album Notes

"Kristjan Randalu is not a Jazz musician. No, he is much more. He represents a generation of intelligent music personalities who have managed to free themselves from the pressure of screaming Jazz-gurus who fail to realize that Jazz has become a minor playground for musical innovation. He is rather proving the fact that the search for your own voice has to lead to uniqueness. The manko of speaking in your own voice seems to have become the actual deficiency in our time. Uniqueness of your personal musical language represents a guarantee for freedom in a true Jazz-sense. Kristjan Randalu is telling his story - an Estonian Jazz Story, a jazzy Story from Estonia, an East-Story from the Jazzland? Maybe it is all together but one thing is for sure - I will recognize his extraordinary musical strength and his voice immediately when he plays - and so will you. Again and again."

Till Brönner


"CD Of The Month - The man has class. Kristjan Randalu, born 1978 in the Estonian Tallinn into a family of two pianists, grown up in Germany, has the potential to become one of the great pianists in the European Jazz. (…) “Confidance” is the title of the CD, and the play of words is self-explanatory: It tells the story of confidance and the joy of dancing. Kristjan Randalu´s fingers are dancing on the keys superiorly and accentuated, subtle and strong, full of nuances and engaging. Unbelievable how naturally a constant move of a wave is changing from the left to the right hand, while the melody is moving in opposite direction. And even when there is the impression that his accompanying figures are focusing on an ostinato, the movements of notes and rhythms shift with immense cleverness. There are no repetitions but always new, ludicrous variations. Almost every melody is turning to an unexpected but still familiar acting direction. The music seems to float and at the same time it is rooted in a musical ground as rich as the European music tradition. In five compositions and one hidden track Kristjan Randalu is playing the finest European Jazz."

Rondo - February 2004