Tavitjan Brothers - Tavitjan Brothers Play Classics (2015)

There are many renditions of classical pieces, but there are few that are truly good. Tavitjan Brothers may be among those few with their jazz arrangements of compositions by Ravel, Tchaikovsky, Bach, Chopin, Rachmaninoff and other great composers of the past. In the hands of the trio, compositions like “Bolero” or “Saber Dance” sound as if they were written for jazz musicians. The arrangements are very spontaneous and relaxed while still representing the genuine emotion and mood of the compositions. The rhythm section swings steadily through the set, providing a beautiful background for the pianist to travel through and beyond the scales and harmonies, complementing these classical themes with outstanding improvisations.

Tavitjan Brothers are Diran Tavitjan (piano) and Garo Tavitjan (drums), one of the most prominent and internationally acclaimed musicians from Macedonia. They are sons of the drum legend Garabet Tavitjan, who was a drummer for the cult band “Leb I Sol”, pioneers of jazz and fusion on the Balkans in the 70’s. Raised in such environment, they learned to play music and jazz in particular at an early age. They use their stage name “Tavitjan Brothers” for years now and often play as a trio, nowadays complemented with the excellent bassist Goran Gesovski. With more than 400 concerts performed so far all across the Globe, they gained the most positive reviews from the critics and played in such venues as “Blue Note” and “Carnegie Hall” in New York, having the chance to share the stage with several world famous symphonic orchestras.