CLASSIX CONCERT :: RUSH
23 November 2026 – 19:30
Lucian Ban (RO/US) – piano
Abraham Burton (US) – tenor saxophone
John Hébert (US) – double bass
Reggie Nicholson (US) – drums
RUSH brings together New York jazz, the musical memory of Transylvania, and the freedom of improvisation.
The new Classix Concerts season brings the New York-based quartet Elevation, led by Romanian-born pianist Lucian Ban, to Iași in November for the release of the album RUSH.
Released in New York by the prestigious American label Sunnyside Records, the album features original compositions dedicated to major figures in jazz who have influenced Ban’s musical journey, including Abdullah Ibrahim, Andrew Hill, Larry Willis, and Billy Strayhorn. It also includes a reimagining of the old Transylvanian song “Grangure Pană Gălbană”.
The album’s closing piece brings the voice of traditional singer Gavril Țărmure into the quartet’s sound world, creating a direct connection between Transylvania’s musical memory and the contemporary jazz scene.
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Lucian Ban & Elevation
Elevation is a jazz quartet founded in New York in 2006 by pianist Lucian Ban. The ensemble brings together musicians who have played significant roles in contemporary American jazz and has developed a distinctive language at the intersection of modern jazz, avant-garde music, improvisation, and Transylvanian musical memory.
The quartet’s first album, Mystery, was recorded live at New York’s Cornelia Street Cafe and released by Sunnyside Records in 2013. It was selected among the year’s best albums by critics writing for DownBeat, The New York City Jazz Record, and Hot House.
The second album, Songs From Afar, released in 2016, confirmed the ensemble’s international standing. It was selected by DownBeat as one of the best albums of the year and received the magazine’s highest rating of five stars.
Based in New York since 1999, Lucian Ban (RO/US) has built an international career at the intersection of jazz and contemporary music. He is recognised for combining Transylvanian folk music with improvisation, reimagining the music of George Enescu, and pursuing a modern ideal of chamber jazz.
Throughout his career, he has collaborated with artists including John Surman, Mat Maneri, Evan Parker, Alex Harding, Gerald Cleaver, Bob Stewart, Billy Hart, and Nasheet Waits. His discography comprises more than twenty albums released by labels including Sunnyside Records, ECM, and Clean Feed.
His music and performances have been featured in international publications including The New York Times, The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, El País, DownBeat, All About Jazz, and JazzTimes.