Background
Djangirov, Eldar was born on January 28, 1987 in Kyrgyzstan. Arrived in United States of America, 1997. Son of Emil Djangirov and Tatlana Sokolova.
Djangirov, Eldar was born on January 28, 1987 in Kyrgyzstan. Arrived in United States of America, 1997. Son of Emil Djangirov and Tatlana Sokolova.
Eldar attended Interlochen Center for the Arts in his young teenage years.
He is of Volga Tatar and Russian descent. Born to Tanya and Emil Djangirov, he also lived in San Diego, California during his teenage years. As of 2016, he resides in New York City.
He began playing the piano when he was three years old.
The first piece he remembers learning was "C Jam Blues". He later took classical lessons and was "discovered" at age 9 by the late New York City jazz aficionado Charles McWhorter, who saw him play at a festival in Siberia.
The family relocated to Kansas City, drawn there in large part by the city"s jazz history. During his Kansas City years, even before reaching his teens, Eldar already started building a reputation as a child prodigy, appearing on Marian McPartland"s National Public Radio show, Piano Jazz, when he was only 12 years old, being the youngest performer to appear on her show.
Eldar attended Saint Elizabeth"s grade school and the Barstow School in Kansas City.
Eventually, the family moved to San Diego where he attended the Francis West. Parker School (San Diego), and then to the Los Angeles area where he attended University of Southern California"s Thornton School of Music. Eldar"s playing style is characterized by prodigious technique and musicality. Downbeat noted in a review by Bob Doershuk: "his command of the instrument is beyond staggering." He was signed to Sony Music at 18 and released 5 albums.
One of the albums was nominated for a Grammy.
Eldar has extensively toured throughout Europe, Asia, North America. Djangirov has been variously compared to Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Herbie Hancock and more.
Yet he also seems to absorb harmonic expansiveness from McCoy Tyner and at times the lyrical sensitivity from Bill Evans. Djangirov performed at Grammy Awards telecast and was honored the first time in many years as a jazz artist.
Eldar has also been seen on Conan O"Brien, Columbia Broadcasting System Saturday Early Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live and Columbia Broadcasting System Sunday Morning.