AglanJazz 2014

The AglanJazz 2014 festival will take place at the old square of the Aglantzia municipality on the 16th and 17th of July, with 6 bands from Cyprus, Greece and France.

Programme:

Wednesday 16.7

→ 20:45 Cyprus - Greece

TRI-COOL-ORE

World Jazz Fusion & Groovy Trio

Through the global nature of jazz, from the African "soul" of New Orleans and European experimentation to the maqams of the east, the Greek expression and tradition are embodied to create a unique explosive rhythmic effect and a riot of colors and shades.

Angelos Doukas (Greece) on piano & keys, Vassilis Vassiliou (Cyprus) on drums & percussion and Nikos Doukas (Greece) on electric bass & loops come together to create TRI-COOL-ORE.

Breaking away from music labels and stereotypes, through unique musical paths, the three very good music “infested” friends take over the stage and use special rhythmic forms and a strong element of improvisation to create an electrifying atmosphere that will not leave anyone indifferent, whatever their musical preferences.

Angelos Doukas - piano & keys

Vassilis Vassiliou - drums & percussion

Nikos Doukas - electric bass & loops

→ 21:45 Cyprus

Café Balkan

In their friendly reunion, Alexander Gagatsis and Vasilis Kommatas profile through their collaboration a common place of origin; yet, two different experiences. In Cafe Balkan, they balance between traditional and contemporary music, seeking to communicate with their fellow musicians Ioannis Vafeas, Nikolas Trifonos and Ermis Micheal in a more personal language, through traditional melodies and songs from the Mediterranean region and the Balkans. Their music is based on improvisation (jazz or not) and looks forward towards a collaboration full of humor that celebrates the coming together of past musical and artistic experiences.

Alexander Gagatsis - vibraphone

Vasilis Kommatas - clarinet, saxophone

Ioannis Vafeas - drums

Andreas Rodosthenous - bass

Ermis Micheal - guitar

→ 22:45 Greece

Giorgos Kontrafouris & Baby Trio

George Kontrafouris is a leading Greek jazz pianist, with international recognition, rich discography and numerous collaborations. He studied at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. Now he teaches at the Jazz department of the Ionian University. In 2008 he created the youthful band Baby Trio, which he renews as soon as the two thirds of the

George Kontrafouris once said about the The Baby Trio was created to express the naivety, the teenage enthusiasm and generally what makes an impression on a young musician when he starts playing in a band with his friends.

George Kontrafouris – hammond

Konstantinos Stouraitis – guitar

Ioannis Papadopoulis – drums

Thursday 17.7

→ 20:45 France

Swingin' Carpets

Rythm' n' Blues

The grooves of T-Bone Walker are not those of a generation, but the standards from which innumerable artists grade simple the best. Swingin' Carpets magically reproduces those unquestionably smooth tones that demonstrate the design that reflects great genius. It is the relaxing power of a saxophone amplified by the unexpected mood that makes this music a superb rarity at the same time it is a distinctly powerful genre.

The journey never stops from the great hits that accompanied T-Bone Walker in his time and are now recaptured by this great talent from Toulouse, France. The time for good-old Rythm' n' blues is now and the Swingin Carpets are here to state it!

Gregory Desbordes - guitar, vocals

Mathieu Jardat – electric bass

Cyril Laurent - ténor sax, vocals

Benjamin Richard - cymbals

→ 21:45 Cyprus

Michael Messios Symmetry Band

All the members of the band are graduates of the well-known Berklee College in Boston and ever since they have been active performing, teaching and recording music in Cyprus and abroad. Their appearances include jazz festivals in Europe and the Middle East. Lately, the band performs Michael Messios’ most recent compositions which can be characterized as “contemporary jazz” with strong influences of the traditional jazz. One can recognize in their music strong melodies, along with complex rhythms and harmony. The variety on rhythms and colors keep the listener’s interest throughout the concert.

Michael Messios - contrabass

Charis Ioannou – saxes

Marios Toumbas – piano

Ioannis Vafeas - drums

→ 22:45 Greece

Andreas Polyzogopoulos Quartet

Andreas Polyzogopoulos is one of the best young trumpeters on the Greek jazz scene. An extremely mature composer and a formidable improviser despite his tender years, he already has a number of high-level collaborations in Greek jazz projects. His first solo album, Perfumed Dreams (2008), propelled him into the limelight, and his lyrically powerful playing garnered very positive feedback. His latest work takes the music of Pink Floyd as its starting point..

The Cd "Heart of the Sun-The music of Pink Floyd" was presented live in New York, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Munich and Dresden. With this quartet he presents new compositions, inspired by the sounds of the Mediterranean and Scandinavia, as well as the music of Pink Floyd.

Andreas Polyzogopoulos - trumpet, effects

Costis Christodoulou - keys

Antonis Maratos - electric bass

Sotiris Ntouvas - drums