Pianist and composer Craig Taborn was born and raised in Minneapolis, USA. He started his musical education at age twelve and later studied contemporary composition and jazz piano at the University of Michigan. There, he started performing in the local jazz scene and played with Detroit greats such as Marcus Belgrave, Bobby Battle and Lawrence Williams. After graduation, he toured with the James Carter Quartet and moved to New York. Taborn plays in a broad context, ranging from straight-ahead jazz to far beyond, and has worked with young jazz musicians as well as established names and even techno producers. Last year, he released the solo piano album Avenging Angel on the acclaimed ECM label. Craig Taborn is the winner of the Paul Acket Award 2012, a prize he will collect at the festival. There, he will play a solo concert as well as perform with PRISM, also featuring Dave Holland, Kevin Eubanks and Eric Harland.
