The second album signed by Elevation, a music group composed of Romanian pianist Lucian Ban, Abraham Burton (saxophone), John Herbert (contrabass), Eric McPherson (drums), Mat Maneri (viola), and Gavril Tarmure (voice), has received five stars in American jazz publication DownBeat Magazine.

It is the first time when a Romanian musician’s album receives the highest rating in the chronicle published in the DownBeat Magazine, reports local Hotnews.ro.

The album is called Songs From Afar and combines Lucian Ban’s original compositions with new interpretations of some folk and wedding songs from Transylvania. This is Elevation’s second album.

Lucian Ban was born in Cluj-Napoca, in Romania's Transylvania, and studied composition at the Bucharest Music Academy between 1992 and 1995. He then moved to New York in 1999, where he studied for two years at New School University. During his music career, he has received several honors and awards.

Lucian Ban will go on a tour in Europe this May, with Mat Maneri “Transylvanian Concert”.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Lucianban.com, photo credit: Minodora Tibrea)