The European Jazz Festival “Technopolis” of the Municipality of Athens, after twelve years, presents music from around the world and develops to an international “Athens Technopolis Jazz Festival”. In this bands from Portugal, Israel, Denmark, Hungary, Spain, Poland, Argentina, Austria, Netherlands and Greece will appear.
Friday, May 31
21:00 Big Band of Athens Municipality
The Big Band of Athens Municipality is an ensemble composed of virtuoso musicians. It has appeared before festivals in Athens, Thessaloniki and the Greek region in general and has collaborated with Greek and foreign musicians and performers. It presents known compositions and orchestrations of pioneer creators of Big Band literature and works of Greek composers.
22:00 Laurent Filipe “Ar Trio” (Portugal)
“Ar Trio” was created in late 70's by trumpeter Laurent Filipe and pianist Joao Paulo. In 80’s when he lived in Paris, Laurent Filipe met bassist Carlos Barreto and they worked together appearing in several clubs and festivals.
23:00 Trio Phronesis (Denmark)
Their name comes from the Greek word “Fronisis”. Led by Danish bassist Jasper Hoiby and other members the British pianist Ivo Neame and Swedish drummer Anton Eger, the trio has received several awards and its third album “Alive” was the album of the year (2010) both in Mojo and Jazzwise. They will present new material to be recorded in 2013, as well as music from their album “Walking Dark” released in 2012. As BBC states, “Beware of Phronesis – they may change your life!”
Saturday, June 1
21:00 Serrano & Lechner (Spain)
The duo of Antonio Serrano (harmonica) and Federico Lechner (piano) was launched in 2003 presenting adaptations of film musical themes and in 2004 they recorded their first album titled “Sesión Continua”. In the last years the two artists have given more than 200 concerts in festivals and theaters, both in Spain and in other European countries. Their repertoire includes their own compositions as well as themes from other musical genres, such as Tango and Copla. In 2012 they recorded their new album titled “La Extraña Pareja”. Serrano participates in the group of Paco De Lucia during the last six years. Lechner from Buenos Aires, lives in Spain since 1984 and is a pianist, conductor, arranger, virtuoso soloist and artistic producer of concerts and recordings.
22:00 Contemporary Noise Sextet (Poland)
Band that plays jazz and film music. Contemporary Noise Sextet is one of today's most important groups of Poland and attracts the attention of both friends of jazz and experimental music.
23:00 Yorgos Krommydas Modern Jazz Quintet (Greece)
Guitarist Yorgos Krommydas with his new group Modern Jazz Quintet mixes timbres and musical ideas that flirt with modern jazz (Jonathan Kreisberg, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Tigran Hamasyan), rock, alternative and heavy metal. He has already collaborated with great Greek musicians (George Kontrafouris Takis Paterelis Dimitris Kalanzis Evi Siamanta etc). This time he plays with saxophonist Takis Paterelis and young musicians, graduates of the Ionian University such as Yiannis Papadopoulos (piano), Constantinos Manos (bass) and Evangelos Kotsampasai (drums). Besides new material, the band will present, with a different approach, music from the first album of the guitarist.
Sunday, June 2
20:00 Roman Gomez Trio (Argentina)
“Roman Gomez Trio” was formed by the two brothers who come from Argentina, Roman and Demian Gomez. Dimitris Tsekouras, double bass joined the group. In this concert Roman Gomez will play piano and guitar, Demian Gomez drums and percussion, Dimitris Tsekouras double bass, with the participation of Odalis Palma (vocals), Herman Mayr (guitar) and Natalia Soledad Petsalis (vocals).
21:00 Shai Maestro (Israel)
Pianist Shai Maestro was born in 1987 and started playing since he was five years old. He has been a permanent member of the band of bassist Avishai Cohen since 2006, with whom he toured in Europe and has participated in recordings of albums “Gently Disturbed” (2008), “Sensitive Hours” (2008), “Aurora” (2009) and “Seven Seas” (2011). In 2011 he made his own trio with Israeli drummer Ziv Ravitz and Peruvian bassist Jorge Roeder. The first album of the band is titled “Shai Maestro Trio” and has made a success in France.
22:00 Michaela Rabitsch & Robert Pawlik (Austria)
Michaela Rabitsch is a singer, songwriter and trumpeter. American magazine Jazzscene describes her as a modern female version of Chet Baker. Together with her partner, composer and guitarist Robert Pawlik they share for fifteen years their personal and musical life, playing jazz in their quartet and performing as an acoustic duet. They write and prepare the material for their tours. They appeal to both press and audience with their repertoire which includes jazz, pop and Latin.
23:00 Ramon Valle Trio (Netherlands)
Cuban pianist Ramon Valle does not specialize in “Latin” music. Residing in Europe for years, he finds his own roads to approach Cuban music, while staying away from common style, making his own musical path. Together with him, bassist Omar Rodriguez Calvo (Cuba) and drummer Jamie Peet (Netherlands).