David Kikoski

A finales de julio de 2008 y durante un concierto del cuarteto de los grandísimos músicos Antonio Serrano y Javier Colina en El Café Central, caigo en la cuenta de que no está en el escenario el piano de siempre.

My first piano was the Baldwin baby grand in my living room of the house I was born in Milltown New Jersey. It had a easy action which I loved at the time but later made it difficult to adjust to harder actions. I use a Yamaha at my current home but I generally like the old Steinways. My father taught me when I was 6 years old. We worked on all styles of music from classical to pop to jazz to music from many different cultures. I am still doing the same as I did when I first started… playing all kinds of music.

What has evolved for me has been now I try and develop my own style of playing, regardless of what it may be at the time. I practice all kinds of things such as classical literature, transcribing, theory analysis, experimenting and just improvising.  I enjoy playing in many different combinations. Trio is great but I enjoy playing solo piano the most because I have total freedom.

I remember hearing a soloist play a cycle five pattern superimposed over a rhythm changes song and was blown away. I love many different voicings. One of my favourites ones is a major triad in 2nd position with the 5th on the bottom and the flat 7 in octaves in the bass.

I like pianos that have a crisp but singing sound. The piano at Cafe Central is like that. I always enjoyed playing there because the staff and the audience are so “simpatico”.

I think there is no right way to practise. It is a personal thing, some people don’t practice and they play  great and some do practise and they play not great. It is different for everyone. I never practised that much but I listen to music a lot. Now I like to practise …I enjoy it!

Contestación de David Kikoski a la entrevista enviada por mail el 12.05.2010.