Justin Kauflin

Justin Kauflin’s debut CD is a testament to his remarkable artistry, wisdom and faith

Eight years ago, I attended a concert featuring the Governor’s School Jazz Band under the direction of Jae Sinnett. I knew I was in for an enjoyable evening; over the preceding decade, I’d seen at least a dozen performances by students in the Governor’s School’s music, theater and dance departments, not to mention exhibitions by the kids in visual arts, and had been consistently impressed by the displays of talent and blossoming professionalism. None of this, however, prepared me for what I witnessed that night.

Over the course of the evening, various students stood up to play solos. Each one did an admirable job. Then pianist Justin Kauflin took his turn. In contrast to his classmates, whose performances were polished yet studied—exactly what one would expect, in other words, from talented high school students—Kauflin played with a sense of artistry, wisdom and confidence way beyond his years. I remember closing my eyes at one point and thinking that I could be listening to a seasoned pro in a big-city jazz club.
My awe grew deeper still at the end of the concert, when Kauflin grabbed a long metal pole before standing up to take a bow. Suddenly it dawned on me: He’s blind.

A few months later, Sinnett introduced me to Kauflin, and I learned a little bit about his life story. His early childhood had been typical. He’d had a wide variety of interests, including music (he started out on the violin) and played several sports. When he was 9, however, his life started to change dramatically. He began to suffer from a degenerative eye disease; two years later he lost his sight completely.

The devastation that he must have felt is incomprehensible to those of us who take our sight for granted. But rather than succumbing to despair, he began to seek solace and meaning in the piano.

In spite of his handicap, he went on to graduate in the top one percent of his class at Salem High School and summa cum laude from William Paterson University in New Jersey, with a degree in music.
Before going off to college, Sinnett had taken Kauflin under his wing, helping him develop his understanding of jazz theory and giving him an opportunity to play professionally in a variety of venues.

While at Paterson, he met someone who would become another important mentor: the great jazz trumpet player Clark Terry.

Terry saw in Kauflin what Sinnett had seen earlier—a budding musical genius. (That word is overused, to say the least, but in this case I think it’s deserved.) The fact that Kauflin plays so well even though he can’t see no doubt impressed both men. But make no mistake—Kauflin ‘s artistry would be every bit as awe-inspiring even if he hadn’t lost his sight.

Kauflin’s debut CD, released last month, is a testament to this fact.
The album opens with a tune called “Covenant,” an original by drummer Billy Williams, who plays on the record. After Kauflin introduces the melody, Williams and alto saxophonist Tim Green quickly join in. Gradually, they pick up the tempo, and before you know it, they’re soaring into the stratosphere with Kauflin leading the way. His mid-tune solo exemplifies his ability to improvise with swinging abandon and percussive energy while maintaining the clarity and precision of each note.

The opening of the next tune, one of three Kauflin wrote for the CD, provides just a hint of his gift for deeply moving lyricism before the tempo picks up yet again. The same can be said of track four, a sensitive rendition of The Beatles’ “A Day in the Life.” In keeping with original, it transitions from a melancholy tenderness to a kind of controlled chaos accentuated in this case by Williams’ crashing cymbals.

Kauflin is at his most lyrical, however, in his performance of the well-known hymn “Be Thou My Vision.” It is my favorite track on the CD, in part because I’ve loved the hymn since childhood. Kauflin firmly anchors it at the beginning and end by playing the familiar melody with a profound sense of reverence and spirituality; thus, even when he departs from the melody for another joyful improvisation, he never loses sight of the essence of the piece.

The nine-track CD closes with another hymn—“Abide with Me.” This may come as surprise to some jazz aficionados; we don’t typically think of hymns, after all, as a part of the standard jazz repertoire. (Cyrus Chestnut is the only other jazz pianist I can think of who has so boldly yet unassumingly ventured into this territory.) But if you take a look at the bio on Kauflin’s Web site, you’ll understand why he wanted to include these two tunes on his debut album. “His musical style,” it states, “reflects a steadfast, day-to-day trust in God….”

His sense of faith—in himself and in the power of music, as well as in God—shines through on every track. So does his sense of deep humility and his abundant passion for life. Indeed, when I reflect on his playing, the one phrase that keeps coming to mind is from C.S. Lewis: Surprised by Joy. Nothing sums up Kauflin’s music more succinctly. He seems to be surprised by the joy of music and of life at every moment. In the process, he reminds us that jazz, as the critic Whitney Balliett once put it, is the sound of surprise. Here’s hoping that Kauflin continues to surprise us with his extraordinary gifts.

If you’d like a taste of Kauflin’s music—or if you’d like to purchase the CD—check out his Web site at www.justinkauflin.com
- TReehouse Magazine, Tom Robotham

If the album as a whole is pianist Justin Kauflin’s introduction, then track one is the first impression. On drummer Billy Williams’s composition “The Covenant,” Kauflin’s personality comes out right away: unpretentious, creative, and assertive with a fluidity that makes the tune’s 5/4 time feel as natural as ever. This release marks the Virginia Beach native’s debut as a leader, and along with his remarkable abilities on his instrument, it’s his and his bandmates’ young ages that give Introducing life.

Fives and sevens. Sixes into fives. Some (but not many) fours. While not completely eschewing common time, this young band of 20-somethings doesn’t shy away from expressing themselves in time signatures other than 4/4. The album is bookended, even, by tunes in five: “The Covenant” and “Abide with Me,” Henry Lyte’s nineteenth-century hymn that Thelonious Monk would eventually record, are both in the odd meter.

For these guys, though, time is a strong suit. Their rhythmic strength is intrinsic in their playing, which often flies skillfully over barlines to build big and unpredictable phrases.

For example, Kauflin’s arrangement of The Beatles’ “A Day in the Life” explores multiple strains between sections in 6 and 5, all after a simple and elegant piano verse. The piece hits a huge climax after a massive piano solo, then cools. Kauflin always knows where he’s going, and he makes that quite clear. His solos are a smooth elevator ride to the observation deck, where the sights are breathtaking. Some pressure is taken off of Williams, who is known to be a backline motivator and a drummer who can steer a solo when needed. Instead, the drummer joins the smooth ride and plays the role of an excellent supporter, contributing to Kauflin’s off-kilter (as far as traditional phrases go) melodic ideas.

Although it’s in 4/4, “Exodus” has a unique vibe to it (but maybe that’s because it’s in 4/4, along with only two other tunes on the album). It’s a not-quite samba, dark with moments of light shining through. Kauflin embellishes the melody with glimpses of strong left-hand counterpoint, and at other times tight clusters while his right hand strings along amazingly fluid lines and skip-filled scales.

“Be Thou My Vision” is a meaningful choice for Kauflin, who has been blind since the age of 11. He brings new meaning to the hymn, re-harmonizing it and igniting it with impassioned playing.

Guests alto saxophonist and Maryland native Tim Green and guitarist Etan Haziza appear on a couple tunes. Green graces two pieces near the front of the album. His jaunty playing and bright tone intensify whatever tunes he’s present on; in this album’s case, “The Covenant” and Wynton Marsalis’s “Delfeayo’s Dilemma,” which features an extended saxophone solo.

Haziza joins the band for Kauflin’s “Lucid Thoughts,” adding a new timbre through unison and harmony with the piano. He opts for waiting for his turn to solo instead of intruding on Kauflin’s space with unnecessary chord comping. When Haziza finally does enter, he exudes a Rosenwinkel-like tone in a solo that takes shape as it progresses.

Around these parts, Kauflin needs no introduction. But to those who are not yet familiar, this first impression is likely to leave a mark.
- RVA Jazz, Dean Christeson

Pianist and William Paterson University graduate JUSTIN KAUFLIN has, with Introducing Justin Kauflin (JKC – 001), immediately established himself as a stellar jazz player, composer and leader. It is rare for a young musician to produce an album that displays the kind of musical maturity that is in evidence here. His cohorts, Tim Green on alto sax, Etan Haziza on guitar, Phil Kuehn on bass and Billy Williams on drums provide him with solid support as they assay nine selections that range from originals, three by Kauflin and one by Williams, to a Beatles tune, “A Day in the Life,” “Return Trip” by Mulgrew Miller, and two spiritual pieces, “Be Thou My Vision” and “Abide with Me.” There are some musicians who just grab your ear immediately, and demand attention. I felt that way in listening to Kauflin. He has a touch and imagination that are immensely appealing. In combination with the other fine musicians, and a program of satisfying eclecticism, this is a CD that is a welcome addition to my library, and should be for yours. (www.justinkauflin.com)
- Jersey Jazz, Joe Lang

Musically speaking, 20-something jazz pianist Justin Kauflin is an old soul. Talented beyond his years, the blind wunderkind has been channeling the muses of established jazz artists as well as his personal ones for some time. Now Kauflin, a graduate of Salem High School in Virginia Beach who has amazed audiences in Hampton Roads and elsewhere, has released his first CD.

It’s a fine showcase of Kauflin’s impressive musicianship in a variety of styles, and testimony to his composing and producing talents. He wears all three hats on this nine-track CD, recorded last year in New Jersey and mastered at Master Sound Studios in Virginia Beach.

The music – from boppish to contemporary jazz to hymns – shifts effortlessly between a trio format – with Kauflin, drummer Billy Williams and bassist Phil Kuehn – and quartet formats – with either guitarist Etan Haziza or saxophonist Tim Green added. Kauflin contributes three original tunes, including “Lucid Thoughts” and “Three for Glasper,” a nod to fellow young jazz pianist Robert Glasper, one of his influences.

There’s a sweet empathy and synergy to the music. The Billy Williams-penned “The Covenant” features a mini-piano intro, with Green soloing beautifully on alto sax, then the guys providing the perfect backdrop for Kauflin’s fleetfingered improvisational piano . As for hymns, two fine Irish-inspired tracks highlight Kauflin’s improvisational lyricism – “Be Thou My Vision” and the gentle “Abide With Me.”

There’s a romp, “Delfeayo’s Dilemma,” featuring Green’s racing alto sax, and an interesting, at times almost unrecognizable, take on the Beatles’ classic “A Day in the Life.”

I predict a great future for Kauflin. Don’t be surprised if a top jazz label snaps him up. - Virginian Pilot, Marvin Leon Lake