Burak Bedikyan: Introspection

Pianist Burak Bedikyan's sixth release on Steeplechase, the absorbing Introspection, took shape around a short, commissioned piece. The organizers of Turkey's oldest jazz festival, the Akbank, asked for the composition for its thirtieth anniversary in 2021. As Bedikyan started work on this, he improvised extensively on his home piano and recorded these experiments. The result is moving and contemplative music which is melancholic yet hopeful, simultaneously ethereal and earthy.

The angular "Call for Peace" opens with sparse chimes and a hymn-like mood. It is easy to imagine these resonant chords echoing inside a church. The crystalline melody that coalesces out of these bursts of notes and cascading lines retains the original spirituality yet transcends specific religious roots. Similarly, the sober "Deluded" has a meditative ambience yet one with an undercurrent of an insistence due to its driving cadence. The gradual build-up of tempo transforms the wistful tune into a simmering, passionate one while maintaining the eastern motif at its core. The percussive conclusion expresses a mix of ire and confidence.

"Free Your Mind," in contrast, has more buoyancy and joy. Its theme has bluesy undertones and Bedikyan's breathtaking virtuosity gives it a boppish thrill. The densely woven phrases brim with clever twists and inventive ideas. The lithe and elegant performance is vibrant, with a polished spontaneity which retains a slight gritty edge. "Finale," the aptly named album closer, is a lyrical, otherworldly lullaby laced with mysticism and enveloped in an expectant atmosphere. The meandering extemporization flows effortlessly and with grace, and forms a forlorn yet brightly-hued piece.

Although the impetus for Introspection was the aforementioned celebration in his native Istanbul, Bedikyan put in this, very personal, recording his experience during Covid19. This life-altering world event and its impact on Bedikyan's life resulted in these sublime and reflective tracks. The brilliance of Bedikyan's artistry and its maturity make this music speak to anyone, regardless of the type of encounter with and even beyond the pandemic.

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