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Beyza Yazgan: Human Cocoon review – from Middle Eastern classical to American minimalism

(Imaginary Animals)The Turkish-born, New York-based pianist’s new album uses the influence of Satie and Glass to respond to the earthquake that devastated Turkey and Syria

Born in Busan, Turkey, trained in Warsaw and, since 2016, based in New York City, Beyza Yazgan is a pianist whose compositions seem to have absorbed many very different worlds – Middle Eastern classical music, Chopin’s Romanticism, French impressionism, American minimalism and jazz. Pasaj features a glistening take on Philip Glass-style minimalism; The Immortal Machine evokes the exciting motorik chaos of Conlon Nancarrow; while some of her more exploratory solos, like All Gone (02.2023, Türkiye) and Cool Burning, recall Keith Jarrett’s improvisations on The Köln Concert. Among some delightful neoclassical whimsy, baroque regal tributes and nods to Robert Burns, the highlight is Letters from the Owl House, a solo for cellist Jennifer Langridge that taps into the pastoral yearning of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending.

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