Mark Eisenman treats the piano the way you would expect to be respected and treated by a best friend. He likes to play, and you can hear it. Every performance, every track, and every collaboration is a full on focused, attentive, and sensitive expression of artistry.
He is fully grounded in the traditions and foundations of the music he plays. It is from this firm grounding that he explores and shares his exploration experiences with his audiences. Whether standards, the favourites of the Great American Songbook, or his own compositions, what stands out is his skill at lending and allowing an immediacy of connection.
His musician’s voice is the acoustic piano. It’s a demanding machine where the taming and control of its sounds is a skill acquired by master piano players over years of dedication to their chosen artistic journey and mission. In 1999, Eisenman was named Jazz Report’s acoustic pianist of the year. There is no surprise here. He and the piano are as one from two. It’s just like best friends.