DINI VIRSALADZE
JAZZ PIANIST & COMPOSER
“Alone at the piano, close to the audience Dinara Virsaladze, a surprise pianist from Georgia makes audience wonder…” - Minden (rgr).
“Dini Virsaladze is one of the unique artists with a gift of creative duality, combining the art of a performer on the stage and the feeling of musical joy beyond it.
When Dini touches the keyboard, it feels like she is only playing for herself amid the universe of sound. This is the moment of creating beautiful melodies, natural harmonies and improvisations. The refined taste and inner culture, tenderness and inspiration are always present in Dini's musical dialogue with the audience anywhere she performs – in jazz clubs or big music halls, at festivals or concerts. Every time I listen to Dini's performance, I realize that this talented pianist's creative potential is unbounded and full of delightful surprises awaiting us.
I wish Dini every success and believe that her accomplishments will reinforce the rich traditions of Georgian jazz.”
Nodar Mamisashvili
Composer, Professor of Music Theory, Professor of Conservatoire, Member of Georgian National Academy,
President of Holo studio, Coordinator of Centre of Sound Ecology.
"Dini and I have performed many concerts and jams together. It's great to improvise with her". - Pavka
"It is great happiness to be a wonderful musician, artist, friend… If not for Dini's encouragement, my name would not be among those who have created this remarkable album." - Ani Duchidze
"How great that there are seven colours and seven notes and how fortunate when you can caress both." - Dato Japaridze (Japara)
"Dini’s music is characteristic of beautiful melody, rich harmony and high spirituality. She belongs to unique female Jazz musicians and is an exceptional composer, as well as an excellent improvisor and an outstanding performer with unique skills." - Nukri Abashidze.
"Working with Ms.Virsaladze , who comes from one of the greatest musical families of Georgia, was a dream come true.I was very sad it was just a two -days -opportunity, but to feel and hear the way she interprets music was food for knowledge. Performing such special compositions as duos is a very demanding task and I am forever grateful to have recorded "DREAMS COME TRUE" with this special musician from Georgia." - Manolo Badrena.
The performance by a jazz pianist Dinara ( "Dini") Virsaladze proved to be an excellent choice for a musical conclusion to the exhibition of the award-winning jazz photographer Jimi Katz.
Among the photographs of her famous New Yorker colleague musicians on the walls of the Spiegel gallery, ensconced behind the piano the Georgian artist enchanted the audience with her wonderful solo performance. Powerful chords, driving bass lines and sparkling arpeggios showed her strength as previously did her orchestral playing. From Duke Ellington to blues to Antonio Carlos Jobim she sometimes seemed to be totally immersed in her interpretations.
Jobim's "One Note Samba" gets a fine touch of swing, and the harmonica composition "Bluesette" by Toots Thielemans – becomes perfectly adapted for piano. Alongside familiar phrases her improvisations of jazz standards show profound imaginative thought of her own. Sometimes one can feel a wider and occasionally almost classical approach under which however, the lightness of swing is somewhat lost.
But there is nothing wrong with it, it's just a little bit different. Her classical background showed quite strongly in her jazzy interpretation of a well-known Georgian song.
Interesting sound pictures, opposing moods.
Although her own compositions, written for her band, are not so easily adaptable for solo piano performance, she nevertheless played few of them - a mature and complex piece of work indeed. This is especially true of the ballad "My Loving Sadness" with its unique identity, fascinating sound patterns, opposing voices and moods.
The audience responded with grateful applause to the wonderful and impressive evening. The concert made German jazz fans very much intrigued by Dini Virsaladze's work, and aroused their interest in the relatively unknown Georgian jazz scene."
By Rolf Graff
January 5, 2008