Vijay Iyer’s novel, improvisational approach to jazz is drawing world wide acclaim
On a clear Saturday night in midtown Manhattan, Grammynominated jazz musician Vijay Iyer took to the stage at Carnegie Hall. His voice, low and unhurried, welcomed the audience with the casual familiarity of old friends, introducing his trio, bassist Stephan Crump and drummer Tyshawn Sorey. Minutes into the lights dimming, soulful music saturated the air, at first playing on emotions, and then, with ease, blatantly seducing a willing audience.
With 16 albums to his credit, the 41-year-old Iyer is not known as the maestro of improvisation for nothing. This year itself he dominated the Down Beat International Critics Poll, winning in the Jazz Artist of the Year, Pianist of the Year, Jazz Album of the Year, and Jazz Group of the Year categories, aside of being awarded the Musician of the Year 2013 by the Jazz Journalists Association.
It comes as no surprise then to know that music is deeply ingrained in Iyer’s psyche. Originally from Rochester, New York, Iyer was born to Tamil immigrant parents, and exposed to Carnatic music throughout his upbringing. “As a child, I remember seeing Carnatic concerts, and just being completely dazzled by the percussionists in particular, seeing that they were improvising the whole time. Especially in the South Indian tradition,” recalls Iyer. Though his musical training began with the violin at age three, Iyer sought creative outlets throughout his school years, joining musical groups including a rock band, as a teenager. And with every collaboration, his musical instincts brought him closer to jazz.
Interestingly though, Iyer began his career as an academic, with a degree in mathematics and physics from Yale University, and a doctorate in the cognitive science of music from the University of California, Berkeley. By that time a selftaught pianist, Iyer used his training as a diving board to understand jazz’s rich improvisational nature. He admits that his inspiration comes from everything around him, from his musical collaborators, to his mathematical background. “As a composer, I’d like to create basic ground rules that let me play freely in the moment, allowing the music to happen,” he says.
To this effect, Iyer has continued to collaborate with various internationally acclaimed musicians, as well as filmmakers, choreographers, and poets. His next album is a classical new music compilation with the JACK string quartet. He is also working on a large ensemble performance, commissioned by Peak Performances, at Montclaire State for October 2013.
Backstage, after the concert at Carnegie Hall, Iyer is surrounded by family and press. Despite his steady yet meteoric rise, he exudes an inherent accessibility, much like his music. Unfazed by the flashing cameras, he asks, genuinely curious, “Did you enjoy the concert?”