BBC Music Magazine: The best jazz albums released in 2021

Isfar Sarabski: Planet

Isfar Sarabski (piano); Alan Hampton (bass); Mark Guliana (drums); Makar Novikov (bass); Sahsa Mashin (drums); String Ensemble/Lev Trofimov; Shahariyar Imanov (tar); Baku String Quartet
Horizons 0190295264239

Azerbaijani pianist and composer Sarabski says the album’s title ‘summarises my feelings and views about our planet. The compositions reflect on the people, the events that have affected us all over the past few years, and the new situations we have to deal with, with the wish to enter into a dialogue with my listeners.’ His gigs have caused a stir for some time, including when he won the solo piano award at the Montreux Jazz Festival. This album shows why. His work is informed by a broad range of jazz and classical influences which, together with elements of Eastern European and Arabic traditional music, pervade his work. All the pieces here are original compositions except for ‘Swan Lake’, where Tchaikovsky’s themes are dextrously woven into an exuberant celebration. His own tunes vary in mood but always capture the attention and his improvising is powerful, but neither his composing nor his performing is heavy-handed. Among the highlights is ‘The Edge’, enriched with gorgeous eastern sonorities from the lute-like tar.