JAZZ UTOPIA QUARTET
Contact Information:
www.nickoskapilidis.gr
kapilnik@otenet.gr
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A FEW WORDS
"Arothymian", a new album by
NICKOS KAPILIDIS & THE JAZZ UTOPIA.
THE JAZZ UTOPIA's music is based on mixing melodic and rhythmic elements from Greek music and harmonic / rhythmic colours found in jazz and contemporary music.
In the original compositions from the band members, the most important aspect is Improvisation. The Jazz Utopia Quartet moves between East and West, with the same power and belief, both through the written melodies and the improvisation parts.
Their sound is sometimes electric, "harsh" with a rock energy, and sometimes simply atmospheric, almost romantic, taking you on a journey with no ending, a "utopia", which you will enjoy taking.
The Jazz Utopia trio was formed in spring 2001 based on the Idea to work on Odd Rhythms.
The trio members' love for jazz and Greek traditional music, plus the will to create music where all these elements fused together, led them to creating a sound that was based on these musical components.
Their first live appearance was at the "International Percussion Festival''On Lefkada island in July 2001.
The group performed their original material and they also arranged a Clinic for musicians of all Instruments analyzing their approach to odd rhythms.
For almost two years the band didn't play live engagements, trying to work on the material and to create the specific sound that they had in mind.
In July 2003, in an engagement at the "International Percussion Festival'' of Petroupolis, Takis Paterelis, one of the most prominent sax men in Greece, joined the trio both for the concert and for the Recording of the "Arothymian" album. That's how JAZZ UTOPIA QUARTET was formed.
JAZZ UTOPIA QUARTET
Takis Paterelis-soprano sax
Vasso Dimitriou-guitars & tzouras
Nikos Hadjopoulos-upright el.bass
Nickos Kapilidis -drums
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READ REVIEWS ABOUT OUR CD IN VARIOUS
INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINES
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JAZZ REVIEW.COM
REVIEWER:Thomas R. Erdmann
Review:
Occasionally a CD will come along that will so impress it is literally impossible to take it out of the player. That is the case with arothymian by Nickos Kapilidis and The Jazz Utopia.
Kapilidis is a Greek drummer whose first musical studies were on the Greek accordion - the Bouzouki Accordian, then trumpet, flute and piano. He started playing drums with pop bands and studying music theory at the age of 13 and eventually worked in the family band with his father and brothers playing traditional Greek music. Drum studies with Stelios Fotakis, Alekos Xristidis, Mickey Earnshaw in Vancouver and Max Mariash in Chicago followed. For the last seven years he has focused on the study of traditional odd-meter Greek music and along with playing in a wide variety of rock, blues, jazz and fusion bands.
The concept behind The Jazz Utopia is to create music based on mixing melodic and rhythmic elements from Greek music with the harmonic/rhythmic elements in jazz. Formed in the spring of 2001 this group focuses it's energy on playing music in odd meters and rhythms. Their first live appearance was a widely praised concert at the International Percussion Festival on the island of Lefkada in 2001. For the next two years they spent all their time rehearsing in an effort to work on creating the sound they all heard, but had trouble physically producing. Their painstaking work pays off in aces with the release of this disc.
Kapilidis, an exceptionally tasteful and technically proficient drummer, is joined by musicians of equal stature not familiar to North Americans: Takis Paterelis on soprano saxophone, Vasso Dimitriou on guitars and tzouras and effects, and Nikos Hadjopoulos on the upright electric bass. The eight compositions are all by Kapilidis except for one which was co-written with Dimitriou.
The style of the music is right out of 70s fusion combined with the complex rhythmic temperament of Frank Zappa along with the tastefulness of Weather Report. Each track is more inviting than the previous. Paterelis is a swinging and discerning musician whose lines seek balance within the turbulent metrics. He never falters, all the more amazing when one considers the recording was done as a live performance in the studio, and finds way to shift harmonic structures within the music to expected but exciting areas with aplomb and zeal.
Dimitriou's guitar work is reminiscent of Larry Coryell's fusion work but in a more laid back manner, and Hadjopoulos' bass work is clear, focused and provides the intellectual frame the others work off of. Kapilidis' drums, however, are the real star. His ability to take extremely complex cross-related metrics, play them in an easy manner and still be supportive of the improvisational needs of his fellow musicians is extraordinary. This disc has to be heard to be believed, it's that good.
Reviewed by: Thomas R. Erdmann
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RHYTHM MAGAZINE-U.K-OCTOBER'S ISSUE
REVIEW FROM DEMO PAGE by MATH PRIEST
We've had some French psychedelia,gospel from Memphis and heavy,acid rock from Australia,so it must be time for Greek jazz.It was bound to happen at some point.And what a joy it is.I'm no a big jazzer,but I love it when it's different and done well,which this is.An Incredibly competend quartet,led by smiley,50-year-old drummer and main composer Nickos Kapilidis,they mix melodic and odd rhythmic elements from Greek music with''harmonic colours found in jazz and contemporary music''.IF YOU LIKE JAZZ,I URGE YOU TO CHECK THIS OUT.FANTASTIC STUFF.
'''Rating 4 stars'''
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ALL ABOUT JAZZ-REVIEW-DAN McCLENAGHAN
Arothymian
Nickos Kapilidis & The Jazz Utopia | Muse.gr
By Dan McClenaghan
Like many jazz fans, I've always got my ears open for a "new" sound, music grounded in tradition that still manages to push the borders. Arothymian qualifies. Mixing melodic and rhythmic elements of Greek music with the harmonic colors found in jazz and contemporary sounds, Nickos Kapilidis & The Jazz Utopia have come up with a fascinating, novel approach.
The lineup-soprano sax, guitar, bass, and drums-isn't out of the ordinary, but the way the Jazz Utopia brings it together is. Vasso Dimitriou's virtuostic guitar playing catches the ear right off. She creates electric orchestral washes of sound, slightly metallic in tone, light in character, and combines with Takis Paterelis' driving soprano sax sound for some vibrant unison interludes. The band makes energetic music, tinged with an exotic Greek feeling, with lots of odd rhythms, some rock leanings, and consistently engaging melodies that give way to creative free-flowing improvisations.
The set opens with "Sunday Morning Coffee," a fittingly caffeinated sound, full speed ahead, Dimitriou's guitar chiming at the beginning as the band kicks into a churning forward momentum. "Arothymian," a Pontian word meaning "longing and nostalgia" (a Kapilidis-penned tune, for his parents) feels introspective and a bit sad; and "Minhel" has a lively, sharp-edged tone over a fluid, organic groove, with Takis Paterelis blowing a sweet tone on soprano.
Some of the most interesting new sounds I've encountered this year.
Check out ,the review at ''All About Jazz''
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=18955
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Read the translation of the review from
www.JAZZDIMENTIONS.DE
Reviewer HERBERT FEDERSEL
Unlike the mood suggests from the picture on the cover,
the music of the Greek,as put forth by Nickos Kapilidis,
does not Include elements of ''Film Noir''.
It has no relation to slow melancholic surroundings in the dark.
This music is full of light,overflowing with life and a tendency
towards the simplicity of existance.
Deeply rooted in Greek tradition,Nickos Kapilidis feels the need
to combine Greek elements with Jazz-Funk-Soul & Big Band sounds.
This is how he presents '' Arothymian''.
This great journey starts at the Black Sea,moves above the Peloponese
and makes many stops along the way in the mediteranean,
getting to the root of Jazz,without staying on the surface and without ''Cliche''.
Folklore Imaginaire? Why not!
As with King Otto's (euro 2004),So do the Jazz Utopians know from surprises,
Characteristically from 11/8-14/8 and other odd rhythms.
It is excactly this loaded rhythm,which is so naturaly a given, which excites.
This is where the ''concept'' Kapilidis materializes;
A moderate polymorfation of the southern balkan region that definitely has a Jazz swing.
He never succums to making his virtuosic playing the center of attention.
Tastefully with variety and without egocentricity,kapilidis drives a group which Include the amazing talents of:soprano sax player-Takis Paterelis,Bass player-Nikos Hadjopoulos & the great guitarist-Vasso Dimitriou ,who also plays a rare played musical Instrument called ''Tzouras''.
Amazing musicians,struggling to realize their own (his) Jazz Utopia
Check out the German version At the following address:
http://www.jazzdimensions.de/reviews/jazz/2005/kapilides_arothymian.html
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NICKOS KAPILIDIS-BIO
He was born in Xanthi (a city up north in Greece) in 1955.His first musical Influences and his first encounter with Jazz, came at the age of eight years old at his father's record store with the records:
a) Art Blakey's-Jazz Messengers Live (Savoy records) and b) The Cat by Jimmy Smith.
At the following years he attended Music lessons for:
Bouzouki (a popular Greek Instrument) Accordion,
Trumpet, Flute, Piano, Theory and at the age of thirteen he started playing drums with various pop Rock bands as the band '' Ahatis '' at '71 in the City Drama.
For several years, he was a member of the '' Family band '' with his father and his brothers playing Greek traditional music.
He studied drums with: Stelios Fotakis (Thes/niki)
Alekos Xristidis (Thes/niki) Mickey Earnshaw
(Vancouver-Canada) Max Mariash (Chicago)
Julian Vaughan (Thes/niki) and with Takis Barbas
(Thes /niki).
He had attended Clinics with Tony Williams,
Jack de Johnette, Louie Bellson and Roy Burns.
In 1985 He formed, with Kostas Pagonidis,
The '' Percussion Ensemble of Thessaloniki''.
During his carrier he had played with various bands in the styles of: Rock-Blues-Jazz-Fusion in various clubs in Greece, Switzerland, Germany and France.
The last seven years he had focused in the study of the
''Greek Odd Rhythms ''(5/8-7/8-9/8 etc) writing a book about this subject and forming the following bands: ''Serious Fun'' (1996) ''Ebnus Jazz Quintet''
(2000) And ''The Jazz Utopia ''(2001) creating music, based on these rhythms.
For the same reason he participate in the bands that formed by Olivier Gatto and Lydia Phillipovich playing Yugoslavian songs, with jazz arrangement.
He had played with many Greek jazz musicians and Jazz Musicians from around the world as well as with Greek Composers and singers.
He teaches at:
''Ars Nova'' music school
By Yiorgos Fakanas
Athens - Greece
Selected Jazz Discography:
1-Featuring:
Danny Hayes & Manny Boyd - Electric Jazz Trio
2-Flyin' to the Unknown -Marcos Alexiou
3-Litl' Song -David Lynch
4-Mythoplasia -Lefteris Christofis
5-Flame Keeper -Makis Ablianitis
6-In A Jazz Mood -Alexia
7-Bahar -Makis Ablianitis
8-Echoes -Yiorgos Fakanas
With Wallace Ronnie
9-Arothymian -The Jazz Utopia
Jazz Artists he'd played with:
Danny Hayes -Trumpet (USA)
Manny Boyd - Tenor Sax (USA)
Olivier Gatto - ac.bass (France)
Lior Yekutieli - el.guitar (Israel)
Craig Bailey - Alto sax (USA)
Kenny Rampton-Trumpet (USA)
Alex Gollino -Tenor sax (France)
John Holdsworth-Trumpet (UK)
John Stabblefield-tenor sax (USA)
Fred Couderc -tenor sax (France)
Stephan Barbier -alto sax (France)
Boris Blanchet -tenor sax (France)
Vincent Bourjeux -Piano (France)
Diddier Ballan -Piano (France)
Jim Seally -Trumpet (USA)
Larry ''Bar''Baranek-Multi Reeds (USA)
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