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
, 2024's
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
's 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
jumping off his Fender Rhodes for a spectral Minimoog synth solo. There's 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
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
finds ever more engaging sonic textures to draw you closer to his musical canvas. ~ Matt Collar