GIORGI MIKADZE TRIO « FACE TO FACE »

Photo : Jean-Baptiste Millot

Third half in a third location! Celebrating two evenings of the 20th anniversary in Bâtiment 25, a new living space in Limoges! One has to rise to the challenge in order to meet the values present in the location, in tune with those infusing the Festival since its beginning: artistic creations, demand for quality, discovering, curiosity. We had therefore to present an incredible artist, together with musician friends equally amazing.

Giorgi Mikadze is a pianist, composer, and arranger, hailing from Tbilisi, Georgia, born in 1989. Trained in the illustrious tradition of

the classical piano, Mikadze has built his reputation on an exceptional display of virtuosity. He emerged as a prodigious talent, winning prestigious international classical music competitions, jazz fellowship awards, presidential scholarships at Berklee College of Music & Manhattan School of Music early in his career, seemingly destined for a flourishing path as a concert pianist.

However, Mikadze made a pivotal decision to expand his artistic horizons, embracing diverse musical aesthetics. His fascination with the folk music of his homeland became a guiding force, propelling him to craft novel compositions that seamlessly fuse Georgian choral folk tradition, acoustic jazz, musical fusions, and microtonalities. With a natural inclination to blur genre boundaries, Mikadze firmly believes that intercultural exchange is an essential catalyst for the continual evolution of the musical arts.

Mikadze’s deep affinity for improvised music and jazz has led to collaborations with renowned artists including Jack DeJohnette,

Jojo Mayer, Roy Hargrove, Dave Liebman, Miguel Zenon, Lee Ritenour, Antonio Sanchez, Lee Ritenour, Mono Neon and many more. In 2021, he attained the esteemed position of associate professor at Berklee College of Music.

With « Face to Face », recorded in June 2023 for the French label PeeWee!, Giorgi Mikadze embraces the classic Piano – Acoustic

Bass – Drums trio formula for the first time. He offers his brilliant partners an exploration inspired by the rich tradition of his native Georgia , a repertoire of emblematic melodies and vibrant memories from his childhood. The album features his original compositions influenced by Georgian folk harmony, with vibrant melodies meticulously composed to create new jazz standard forms. In addition to the elegantly arranged music, all drawn from the rich repertoire of Georgian films, animations, and theatrical music composed in the 20th century by notable composers such as Giya Kancheli, Nodar Gabunia, Sulkhan Tsintsadze, Shota Milorava, Djansug Kakhidze…

Following in the footsteps of his prestigious contemporaries from the East, such as Tigran Hamasyan, Shahin Novrasli, and Shai Maestro, Giorgi Mikadze presents his audacious vision of the world. He seamlessly integrates clear references to the giants of American

jazz while conducting harmonic and melodic research within the traditional modes of his country.

With the mastery of experts, this new power trio unfolds a clear and luminous poetry where melancholy and jubilation coexist, often just a few breaths apart. There’s a phrasal frenzy, overtly lyrical outbursts, modal digressions, reinventions of old forms, and magnetic interplay. With this first masterstroke, Mikadze-Pannier-Moutin immediately establishes themselves on par with the greats. It’s quite possible that, in a realm where everything seems to havebeen said, the novelty could emerge from this other prodigious pianist from the Eastern Europe.

Line-up :
Giorgi Mikadze – piano, arrangements
François Moutin – double bass
Raphaël Pannier – drums