Eclectic pianist Frank Horvat is wildly original

On the evening of May 7, 2009, Canadian composer and pianist-extrodinaire Frank Horvat generously opened his studio in Mimico-by-the-Lake (Toronto, Ontario) for a house concert to benefit Lakeshore Arts. The program consisted of original compositions played by Horvat as well as a set of songs written and performed by singer/songwriter/guitarist Kim Boyce.

The house concert began with Horvat sitting at the grand piano in his living room/studio and asking us in the audience to shout out the names of any three musical notes. Within a matter of seconds, Frank took the "E", "G", and "B-flat" that we handed him and turned those three notes into a wonderful, rollicking, improvised composition. And with that engaging and magnanimous gesture we were gifted with a peek into the mind of a musical genius at work.

Horvat's piano experiences in classical, blues, rock, jazz, and pop, blend with the influence of musical giants from Bach to Miles Davis to Frank Zappa to produce a vibrant, original sound that flows and lurches, often unexpectedly, from sweet and pensive to vulgar and chaotic. For the audience, it's a totally captivating carnival ride.

But beyond his wide-ranging experience and the composers that have impacted him, what really appeals to me in Horvat's compositions is their deep emotional intensity and honesty. To watch and listen to Horvat is to be privileged with an intimate glimpse into his soul.

Frank Horvat's debut CD, deceptively titled "I'll Be Good", is a real treat. You can listen to some of it here.