“Grand Pianoramax displays Leo Tardin’s ability to send free-form jazz, future phunk, art rock and hip-hop into exhilarating free fall.” – Metro London (UK)

Winner of the first Montreux Jazz Festival International Piano Solo Competition, Swiss born, NY-bred pianist Leo Tardin conceived Grand Pianoramax as an all-live keyboards/drums with occasional guest vocalists. Among the collaborators that  contributed  to Grand  Pianroamax  one  can  mention  first-class  NYC  drummers  Deantoni  Parks (The Mars Volta, Meshell  Ndegeocello),  live drum’n’bass  pioneer  Jojo  Mayer, Adam  Deitch (Talib  Kweli, Pretty  Lights)  and current drummer Dom Burkhalter. On vocals, an impressive  rotating cast of US underground  hiphop legends and poets have lent their talent to the project, including Mike Ladd, Black Cracker (Cocorosie), Invincible (Platinum Pied Pipers) and Mr. Lif.

Grand Pianoramax’s  first CD, a self-titled effort, was  released worldwide in 2005 by ObliqSound. The album generated more than 43,000 downloads via iTunes USA and top-notch reviews from both sides of the Atlantic. The second album, The  Biggest  Piano  In  Town,  was  released  worldwide  in  2008,  generating  rave  reviews  and  features  in  publications including BPM, XLR8R (USA) Metro, Time Out London, (UK) l’Uomo Vogue, Blow Up (IT).  DJ Spinna’s remix of the album’s single “The Hook” was  released on  vinyl  shortly after. Grand  Pianoramax’s  third album,  Smooth  Danger, dropped in Europe in the fall 2010 and will be released in the USA on April 2011, supported by a US tour in May 2011 including a live showcase at SXSW.. Primarily a live project, Grand Pianoramax was recently on a 10-city  tour in the USA opening  for  funk legend Maceo Parker at  legendary  venues  including  the  Fillmore  in  San  Francisco  and  the  Roxy  in  Los  Angeles  and  frequently performed in NYC at renown venues such has Joe’s Pub and Canal Room. The band also extensively toured in Europe in major  cities as well as more  eastern destinations including Istanbul and Mumbai  (where  two  tracks  from  “Smooth Danger” were recorded)

OF SMOOTH DANGER: Smooth  Danger is the  third  installment  from Grand  Pianoramax, the Berlin-based  duo  comprised  by  sonic alchemist/keyboard visionary Leo Tardin and  drum modernist  Dom  Burkhalter.  The album  takes a bold step into  21st century  experimental  electronica  through a vociferous  ingestion  of  culture  that's  then  reborn  into  the  world  as  a masterfully cut-and-pasted vision. Devoid of borders and subversive in execution, Smooth  Danger is a warped sonic affair,  partially  recorded  in  Mumbai,  India and largely influenced by the  Berlin  underground.  Its  tweaked analog textures  created  with  spindly  keyboards,  battered Wurlitzers,  rewired  Moogs,  skewed  grand  pianos  and  a  drum  kit, along with  the voice of  rappers, poets and other left of center artists, including guest appearances  from tabla player Karsh  Kale and spoken-word artists Mike Ladd and Black Cracker. This is music that breathes new life into the molten concrete of the megalopolis. The post-modern burn scar, the morose melting pot of a generation who sit and stare at the world in the second before it vanishes.

Music and videos on: http://youtu.be/pw_MSOwYvSQ

Actual album SMOOTH DANGER
Download: http://grandpianoramax.bandcamp.com/

Presale (Ticketpro, Palác Akropolis): standing - 320 CZK; seating (balcon) - 370 CZK
On venue: standing - 350 CZK; seating (balcon) - 400 CZK

Prepared by: lenka@rachot.cz

RELATED WEBSITE: http://www.respectmusic.cz/en