Former jazz prodigy Taylor Eigsti came to the Jazz Bakery for four nights last week. I managed to catch Saturday night’s two shows (more on why two instead of just one later).

Eigsti’s quartet consisted of him on piano, bassist Harish Raghavan, drummer Jamire Williams, and fellow prodigy Julian Lage on guitar. The crowd for the show was small, even for an intimate venue like the Jazz Bakery. If you’ve never been to the Jazz Bakery (or any of the other businesses that now populate the former Helms Bakery complex) it may come as a bit of a surprise – the complex is truly massive, as it needed to be to supply bread to the entire city and parts beyond, but there’s no longer any baking going on, just a bunch of modern furniture stores, a few restaurants, and the Jazz Bakery.

Eigsti and his quartet launched immediately into a song from his new album, Let It Come to You and played a generally rousing first set, full of some well-known songs, as well as a song by the Eels. The set was closed and highlighted, however, by a rendition of Duke Ellington’s classic song “Caravan.” Lage and Eigsti combined magnificently on the song, leaving their audience happy and more than satisfied with the show.

But more was to come, due to a somewhat unusual situation - we were offered a chance to stay for the second show at no additional cost because so few people had bought tickets. So, while I was joyous at the chance to see the band perform again, I was saddened by the fact that so few people showed up to see and support such a wonderful set of performers. The crowd stood in stark contrast to the droves still flocking to Father’s Office next door. If only some of that crowd had decided to come see the superb music on display just a few hundred feet away.

The second set was also superb. The band changed it up from the first set, deciding to play a series of duets in the middle of the set, all of which worked well and offered the rhythm section of Raghavan and Williams chances to be the focus of the action instead of supporting Eigsti and Lage.

Taylor Eigsti is definitely an artist to follow. At the age of just 23, he has already received numerous accolades for his playing, and in a genre where musicians still turn out material late in life, he could have a legendary career. Also, check out a show at the Jazz Bakery. It’s a chance to see some great performers in a small venue in a fascinating historical building.

Photo via Taylor Eigsti’s Flickr page

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