Improvisation in contemporary music - Workshop

Windcraft Loud, in collaboration with A. Vafea Jazz Projects, presents a seminar on “Improvisation in contemporary music” with renowned saxophonist and composer Vasilis Xenopoulos.

The seminar is split in two parts – theory and praxis. The first part will attempt to approach improvisation through the historical development of different styles of jazz – from ragtime to blues and swing, up to modern bebop and fusion. There will be a presentation and analysis of the most common scales that are in use in contemporary music, such as major/minor pentatonics, blues scales and jazz modes, with an association (through the degrees of scale) to the traditional scales of western music.

The second part of the seminar will be practical, with the participants applying theory on their instruments. Improvisation in different styles of modern music, such as jazz, funk and latin, will be explored and applied.

The workshop addresses performers of any melodic instrument at any level of expertise and will last two hours.

Saxophonist and composer Vasilis Xenopoulos is one of the most accomplished Greek jazz musicians of his generation. London became his permanent home after graduating from the infamous Berklee College of Music, and gradually established himself as one of London’s up and coming jazz saxophonists. He has worked with some of the best musicians in the British jazz scene, such as Jim Mullen, Steve Waterman, Alan Barnes, Derek Nash, Bruce Adams, Martin Shaw, Nigel Price, Ray Gelato, and many others. On an international level, he has appeared with a variety of top performers such as sensational pianists Hiromi, and Jason Lindner.

In 2009 he formed “The Xtet" and their debut album “Loud City" containing 8 original compositions was released on 33Jazz Records in 2011. Two years later he released his second album “The Wind Machine" under the same label, which gained some fine reviews in the top British media such as The Times and BBC radio 3. In 2017 Nigel Price and Vasilis created the XPQ (Xenopoulos/Price Quartet) and recorded their first album under that brand, “Sidekicks" which celebrates some of the most successful guitar/sax pairings in the history of jazz.

Vasilis has appeared in many guises, as guest soloist, as band leader or as saxophone section leader in jazz venues and jazz festivals throughout the UK. He is currently playing with the Nigel Price Organ trio as well as Derek Nash’s Sax Appeal.

His explosive style means he is in great demand as a saxophone player for popular music and as a session musician.

“One of the most fiery young saxophonists around blazes a path through the hard bop repertoire" (The Times)

“A tremendous asset to the UK Jazz Scene" (London Jazz News)

…"A bright newcomer on alto and tenor saxist Vasilis Xenopoulos"… (Evening Standard)
www.vasilisx.com, www.facebook.com/vasilisjazz

Thursday, 11th April 2019, 7-9p.m.
Windcraft Music Centre, 27 Xanthis Xenierou, 1015 Nicosia.

Participation fee: 15 euro (10 euro for Windcraft Loud members)

More information and reservations: 22-377748
www.windcraftmusic.com, [email protected]