Taylor Eigsti On 'Piano Jazz: Rising Stars'

Enlarge Devin DeHaven

"I think solo piano is always the loneliest art form," Taylor Eigsti says. "It's fun, but I think it takes a while for it to become fun at times."

Devin DeHaven

"I think solo piano is always the loneliest art form," Taylor Eigsti says. "It's fun, but I think it takes a while for it to become fun at times."

Twentysomething pianist, composer and educator Taylor Eigsti has been on the jazz scene for more than a decade, and has lately set his sights on bringing jazz to a new audience.

Hosted by Jon Weber, Piano Jazz: Rising Stars is a new program highlighting the jazz legends of tomorrow, and Eigsti is a perfect inaugural guest: "It's an exciting time for jazz, I think," he says, "and it gets a bad rap as not an exciting time for jazz. I'm very much an optimist."

Here, Eigsti blends the old and new with solo renditions of Coldplay's "Daylight" and his original, "Magnolia."