Romanian Jazz Pianist Ion Baciu Jr. with friends

I've been a "fan" of composer and jazz pianist Ion Baciu, Jr. for about 20 years. Well known throughout Europe, Baciu and his trio or quintet, tour annually performing at jazz concerts and festivals in Italy, Austria, Germany, Sweden, Romania and Russia.

He's well known in Europe and has performed in the USA and CANADA, but his music is difficult to acquire "on this side of the pond." Thanks to U-TUBE and the internet, we are able to share a window into a live Romanian jazz jam session.

Classically trained in the conservatory in Isia, Romania under the mentoring eye of his world renown symphony conductor father, Ion Baciu, Sr., Ion, Jr. gravitated toward jazz at an early age. He began performing in international jazz festivals during his late teens and early twenties.

Harry Tavitian & Ion Baciu Jr.

Armenian/Romanian musician Harry Tavitian (left foreground) and Romanian jazz pianist Ion Baciu, Jr (right).
Tavitian (vocal) and Baciu (piano) perform "Cry Me A River" (below)

Hearing Harry Tavitian's rich deep soulful vocals to "Cry Me A River" reminded me so much of the "greats" who sprung from the banks  of the Mississippi River that I looked him up, expecting to find he was another international musician Ion encountered on some exchange program. How wrong I was. Harry was born of in Constanta, Romania of Armenian parents and graduated from the Academy of Music in Bucharest in 1970.

Ion Baciu Jr. with Pedro Negrescu:





TWO KEYBOARD JAM SESSION - Ion Baciu, Jr. with Petrica Andrei:


Although he he spent a couple of years in England, composing and recording with soft rock groups and about a decade in Sweden with the Norrbotten Big Band, Ion really thrives in improvosional jazz circles. He seems to always return to his roots in Romania.

Dan Johansson & Krister Andersson Live in Petrozavodsk, Russia with Ion Baciu, Jr. at piano (2000):

Dan Johansson Trumpet/Flugelhorn, Krister Andersson Tenorsax, Ion Baciu, Jr. Piano, Harri Ihanus Guitar, Sebastian Vogler Drums, Peter Janson Bass.




NORRBOTTEN BIG BAND IN NY (2000) WITH ION BACIU, Jr. AT PIANO:




ELECTRIC BROTHER LIVE at MNAC 2005 with Ion Baciu Jr at keyboard:



A few years ago he toured Europe and recorded with Americian saxophonist Rick Condit, but few copies of the recording are available in the USA.

Our "More than Mere Words" recognition this month goes to Ion Baciu, Jr. and his associates whose music, for decades, is contained neither by political ideology or geographic boundary.

I doubt than any of these clips are "the best of Ion Baciu, Jr." Hopefully, however, they will allow you a glimpse and alert you in case you encounter other opportunities to experience music with him.