Cactus Sessions
Self-Released, 2026
9/10
The pianist Bijan Taghavi presents a solo effort that illustrates an expressive, rich and lyrical vision of improvisation where each track was captured in one take.
“Wave”, by Jobim, opens with the melodic and glowing keys radiating much warmth, and “I Should Care” follows with the rich piano making for a playful mood thanks to Axel Stordahl and Paul Weston’s vision.
“Peace” and “Have You Met Miss Jones” reside in the middle. The former is a soft moment of beauty and grace but that can also rumble a bit via Horace Silver’s piece, while the latter, by Richard Rogers, is an animated album highlight that’s colorful and charming.
Making our way to the end, “East Of The Sun” offers a reflective moment of sublime, touching songwriting thanks to Brook Bowman, and Jobim’s “Desafinado” exits with Taghavi’s meticulous fingers capturing the timeless spirit of the track with seeming ease.
A technical and emotional body of work that weaves in and out of harmony, rhythm, range and textures, Taghavi plays with a talent and execution that few others can.
Travels well with: Ben Clifton- Overlook; Tim Jago- Time Shif