Painter Of Dreams

A bright light on the New York jazz scene since he immigrated from Leningrad in the early 90s, pianist Misha Tsiganov plays the kind of jazz that blends the influence of players like Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, and McCoy Tyner; jazz steeped in the tradition, but with an ear for daring, motivic harmonies and sounds pulled from outside the acoustic idiom. On his fifth album for Criss Cross, 2024s Painter of Dreams, Tsiganov is joined by longtime collaborators trumpeter Alex Sipiagin, bassist Matt Brewer, and drummer Johnathan Blake. He also brings along special guests, including tenor saxophonist Chris Potter, alto saxophonist Miguel Zenon, and vocalist Hiske Oosterwijk. Although he has composed in the past, the album is Tsiganovs first to feature primarily his own original compositions. These are refined songs underpinned by a subtle, groove-based swagger that often recalls the 70s and early-80s jazz of artists like Woody Shaw and David Liebman. The opening "Elusive Dots" starts like a dusky film noir ballad before transitioning into a hard-swinging modal number and finds Tsiganov jumping off his Fender Rhodes for a spectral Minimoog synth solo. Theres also the soft-eyed lyricism of "April," where Oosterwijk showcases her wordless vocalese style, beautifully leading the harmonized melody with the horn players. The two standards also impress as Tsiganov offers a boldly reharmonized take on "Long Ago and Far Away" that uses the classic Chet Baker/Russ Freeman version as a wry jumping-off point. He also crafts a smoky, quiet storm-inspired rendition of "I Loves You Porgy," that blends hushed Rhodes chords with spectral Minimoog lines and features soulful electric bass, flugelhorn, and alto solos. With Painter of Dreams, Tsiganov finds ever more engaging sonic textures to draw you closer to his musical canvas. ~ Matt Collar