Nirvana Project Reviews
Nirvana Project is an hour long concert that takes you on a journey into the world of Kurt Cobain through the fingers of pianist AyseDeniz and the beats of Ivan Shopov. AyseDeniz’s “Nirvana Project” is conceived as a stage play in which the last five years of the 1994 deceased bandleader is brought to life in a dance and music performance to the stage.
Online platform Meander describes classical pianist AyseDeniz as “nothing less than a musical genius.” Her talent is undeniable, and her originality admirable.
‘The Nirvana Project’ is a stunning interpretation of a number of grunge-band Nirvana’s most famous tracks, cleverly incorporating her own traditional, classical technique in the most authentic and nostalgic way. Grabbing inspiration from Kurt Cobain’s personal journals and musical motifs, AyseDeniz’s project reflects the last five years of Kurt Cobain’s life, symbolising his spirit, through to his wife, child and characters in the music he wrote.
German newspaper Taz praises the interaction between AyseDeniz’s classical piano and Shopov’s deep beats a flow one can easily imagine hearing in a club. What distinguishes AyşeDeniz and Shopov is their desire for variation, which is noticeable throughout the whole album. If remixes and mash-up’s with piano and laptop sound like this now – then please more of it.
The song cycle, which AyseDeniz wrote and also contains three original songs, has recently appeared as album. Nirvana classics like “Smells Like Teen Spirit” or “In Bloom” can be heard as piano reinterpretations, underlain by predominantly reduced beats. Taz concludes that AyseDeniz’s “Nirvana Project”, an excellent example of her free and experimental approach to music throughout the years that has gained acclaim from the prog rock scene, deserves to be recognised as an innovative and unique reinterpretation.
