With Call on the old Wise Nitai Hershkovits delivers an entrancing solo album. In this largely improvised solo rendering, the pianist draws from broad influences, ranging from his extensive work in jazz contexts and cutting-edge contemporary explorations to his background in classical music.

This immaculate balance of idioms gives rise to an abundance of colours and timbres, explored by a pianist, who has successfully forged his very own voice as improviser and shape-designer. With a soft touch, light action and washing harmonies, Nitai’s improvisations unfold like compositions being created in real-time, making Call on the Old Wise a testimony to the pianist’s unique inventiveness as well as an essential addition to ECM’s celebrated line of solo piano recordings.

The album, recorded in Lugano in 2022 and produced by Manfred Eicher, follows after his contributions in Oded Tzur’s quartet on the acclaimed recordings Here Be Dragons (2020) and Isabela (2022).

1. Pythia
2. No. 10
3. Sayyid Chant and Dance No. 41
4. Introduction and Funeral March
5. Oriental Dance
6. Kankaravor Enker (Talented Friend)
7. Dard mi ani
8. Thirty Gestures
9. Prayer and Despair
10. Sayyid Chant and Dance No. 42
11. Ashkharhes Me Panjara e (The World Is a Window)
12. Trembling Dervish
13. Zartir (Wake Up)
14. The Great Prayer

The Armenian musician Levon Eskenian opens this thoroughly engrossing new recording on the emboldened No. 10, the scene setting within Sayyid Chant and Dance No. 41 and the gently fervent Introduction and Funeral March, the aptly-titled Oriental Dance and then brings us the, at times, Celtic-hued, spiritually driven Kankaravor Enker (Talented Friend) and the hauntingly imbibed Dard mi ani.

The third album from Levon Eskenian’s remarkable ensemble continues onward with the playful Thirty Gestures, the haunting Prayer and Despair and the enraptured Sayyid Chant and Dance No. 42, and they are in turn followed by the spiritually-risen Ashkharhes Me Panjara e (The World Is a Window), the affecting Trembling Dervish, the recording rounding out on the evoking, titular Zartir (Wake Up), coming to a close on the rhythmically divine The Great Prayer.

The pieces of the new program are arranged for traditional instruments by Levon Eskenian. The music conveys mysteriousness, often in a form both rhythmic and energetic, presented on period instruments, sung authentically, with a mixture of bracing beauty and devastating sorrow.

CD booklet includes translations of the song texts by Levon Eskenian, and liner notes by Steve Lake.

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