The Cal Poly Jazz Band will feature renowned jazz pianist Taylor Eigsti at its Jazz Night’s concert tonight, where he will perform with both the Cal Poly University Jazz Band No. 1 as well as the Cal Poly Jazz Combo.
The quartet’s style of progressive jazz has been loosely defined as a combination of funk, R&B, and classic rock, which is discernable from the wide range of musical influences that the quartet draws its inspiration from. Eigsti, 23, said he finds motivation in both traditional jazz artists such as John Coltrane and Miles Davis, as well as in more pop-oriented, mainstream artists including Nirvana, Outkast and Nine Inch Nails.
While Eigsti’s style of jazz is a glimpse of what the genre will become over the coming years, he’s always been one to relish the opportunity to showcase his skills and understanding of one of jazz’s most cherished and established forms: the big band.
“I’m very much down with more progressive rhythms, and I’ve always been in love with the mechanics of improvisation that are a part of jazz,” Eigsti said. “I’ve really grown used to playing in quartets, but I’ve always had fun playing with a big band. It’ll be a fun chance to be able to perform some different stuff.”
Eigsti, who began playing piano at age 4, was quickly labeled a child prodigy after he began doing stage performances at age 8. Since then, he’s performed with highly regarded jazz artists such as Red Hollaway, Patti Austin and James Moody. He’s also been featured on Marian McPartland’s award-winning Piano Jazz series on NPR on two separate occasions.
Having such an acclaimed young jazz artist come to perform with the student jazz bands not only has the performing students excited, but also the faculty organizing the performance.
“It’s a great opportunity to have our students be able to play with a top-ranked jazz musician, and one who is young enough to be their peer nonetheless,” said music professor Paul Rinzler. “It will be a very inspiring experience for the Cal Poly Jazz Band to have a peer with you performing at as high a level as he does.”
The set will consist of what Rinzler described as some “straight-ahead jazz,” and will feature a variety of big-band tunes that have Eigsti’s own twist on them.
“The performance will be a fresh look at jazz with a contemporary sensibility,” Rinzler said.
Eigsti came out with his first CD at age 14 and has released five more since then, the most recent being “Let It Come To You,” which was released earlier this month. Eigsti, originally from Menlo Park, Calif., now bases himself out of New York City and is touring to both promote his latest album and spend some time away from the studio.
The Jazz Nights concert begins at 8 p.m. at the Christopher Cohan Center. Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for general admission.