Gilad Atzmon - Irinaeos Koullouras - Stelios Xydias

The great jazz saxophonist Gilad Atzmon meets bassist Irineos Koullouras and drummer Stelios Xydias for three performances in Paphos, Limassol and Nicosia.

The “Whistle Blower” and one of the most accomplished musicians of the contemporary jazz scene, Gilad Atzmon, returns to Cyprus for three concerts presenting a powerful music programme with well-known jazz tunes, all performed in a unique, sophisticated style that combines great bebop artistry with the sounds of the Middle East. For his performances, Gilad will collaborate with the talented jazz musicians Irinaeos Koullouras (double-bass) and Stelios Xydias (drums).

Gilad Atzmon is an Israeli-born British jazz musician, music producer, novelist and activist. As a multi-instrumentalist he plays saxophone, clarinet and ethnic woodwind instruments. His album Exile was the BBC jazz album of the year in 2003. He has been described by John Lewis on the Guardian as the “hardest-gigging man in British jazz" and he is touring extensively around the world playing in festivals, concert halls and clubs. Gilad Atzmon's music moves more and more towards a cultural hybrid. Atzmon is interested in exploring the meaning of urban folk, the cultural melting pot of the contemporary city. As a bandleader and reed player he has been amazing his listeners with his powerful personal style which merges the music of the Middle East and Eastern Europe together with Jazz and contemporary improvised music.

Cypriot double-bass player Irineos Koullouras studied next to the famous jazz musicians Ron Carter, Charlie Banacos and Ed Barker, while he performed in New York and many European countries with great musicians such as Gary Burton, Theothosi Spassov, Ofer Ganor, Amos Hoffman, Steve Hass, Walter Smith, Asaf Uria, among others. In 2001 he moved to Athens, where he collaborated with Charis Alexiou, Christos Leontis, Nikos Xydakis, Nena Venetsanou, Socrates Malamas, Arturo Sandoval, Larry Harlow and others and he was teaching double-bass at the Nakas Music School. Currently he performs regularly with his Trio (along with Giorgos Krasides on the saxophone and Giorgos Koulas on the drums) and other bands.

After his studies at the Codarts Rotterdam Conservatory, drummer Stelios Xydias returned to Cyprus where he is am active performer and a music educator. He performed in many international and local music festivals, next to great musicians such as Gilad Atzmon, Alexia Vassiliou and others. He also performed in various records (“Simplicity” with the Andreas Rodosthenous Ethnic Jazz Ensemble, “Seven Miles East” and “Colours of Another Sky” by the Takoushis-Karapatakis Project etc.) and in October 2014 he published his personal EP “Silence”, which is a solo drums project.

The Musicians:
Gilad Atzmon – saxophone, clarinet
Irineos Koullouras – double bass
Stelios Xydias – drums

The Concerts:
Tuesday 10 May 2016, 20:30, ANANAs 8Bit Coffee – Paphos (35Α-35Β Athinas)
Reservations: 26 600126

Wednesday 11 May 2016, 21:30, Library Bar – Limassol (1 Themidos)
Reservations: 25 361362, 99 412244

Thursday 12 May 2016, 21:00, Windcraft Music Centre - Nicosia (27 Xanthis Xenierou)
Reservations: 22 377748

Concert fee: 10 euro