The Most Amazing Pianist You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

If the Wolfsong Diner ever gets a jukebox, it will be filled with recordings from “Mister Golden Hands” Eugen Cicero, a Romanian classical/jazz pianist who is absolutely amazing. How is it that I’ve never heard of this guy? According to his Wikipedia page (and various other sources), Cicero was born in Vad, Romania in 1940. He was a child prodigy, playing the piano at age 4, performing a Mozart piano concerto with the Cluj Symphony Orchestra at 6, playing piano concertos on the radio in Romania at 10, receiving first prize in the Romanian national competition for young musical performers at 16, founding his first jazz quintet at 18, and becoming a music professor at age 22. He died in Zurich at age 57. Kind of makes me wonder what the hell have I done with my life?

Never mind all that. It’s his music that I now love. His jazz/classical mash-ups are amazing, not only for their interesting takes on classical works, but for his own virtuosic and possibly Faustian runs on the piano. Take a listen to his version of Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, probably the most recognizable piece to us uneddicated ‘mericans.

I’m sure that a select group of music snobs have been discussing Cicero’s name for years behind closed doors of ivory academia, but it’s high time that the rest of us gave the man his due. I mean really.