Artists
Meet the Performing Artists of Athens Music Week
Sillyboy's Ghost Relatives
Sillyboy lives in an old detached house in a working-class suburb of Athens next to the national railway. This urban landscape feeds the aesthetic of his music. Temperamental lyrics, bass-driven grooves, retro-pop synths and melodies are his tools. He began as a composer for TV commercials, shows and movies while he also produced records for other Greek artists. In 2010, he released his debut, entitled “Played” which produced the homonymous hit single. The album received blazing reviews from the Greek press and media while it's sound drawn international attention with a flattering review from NYC's Sunday Best. Two years later he started experimenting with a more guitar-driven direction, which gradually gave birth to his sophomore work, "Nature of Things" (2012). The track "Supply Chain" from that album won The Vinyl District's competition "TVD500" and granted Sillyboy a 7" US release with the label. It’s now 2014 and Sillyboy returns with a new LP. “Stalker” blends retro – pop with contemporary electronica. The video for the single "Do it Again" already premiered on Exclaim Magazine's (Canada) website while "Stalker" is receiving extensive radio airplay. "Sillyboy’s Ghost Relatives can proudly claim to be “Greek radio’s favourite soft rock band”. The Athens-based quartet – fronted by bass-wielding former TV commercial composer turned Balearic popster Charalampos Kourtaras – are rising stars in their home country, with listeners warming to their distinctive blend of atmospheric guitars, retro-pop synths and head-in-the-clouds grooves."
MIND RIPPLE
The alternative rock band from Athens, Greece has been playing extensively since 2010 in bars and various venues. In 2016, under the name Disconnected, they presented their first original songs in the self released EP “Disconnected”. It was in the same year when they landed on the current composition of the band and began rehearsing relentlessly and performing live. In the summer of 2018, the band recorded their debut album, Mirror Stage. In 2019, they are ready to reintroduce themselves as Mind Ripple and present the new songs of the album Mirror Stage, whose title is inspired by the theory of Jacques Lacan. The album could be defined as alternative rock with many extensions that reveal the many and different influences of its creators. The songs are the outcome of internal quest and truth-seeking endeavors of each one of the band members. Mind Ripple look at their reflection and wonder. “I am the eye with which the Universe / Beholds itself, and knows it is divine.” ― Percy Bysshe Shelley Band Members Stefanos Katis, vocals Haris Katis, vocals, keys, guitar George Lambadis, guitar George Gazis, bass Makis Kolaitis, drums
Lip Forensics
Lip Forensics is an electronic duo from Athens. They use sine waves with flam beats to recreate the soundtrack of their favorite crime scenes. "A careful glimpse of the lips instantly tells the mood of the individual"
Amalia & The Architects
Amalia & The Architects was formed in 2018 when singer/songriter Amalia met guitarist Vasilis. Amalia had previously released two solo singles called "Thieving Star" and "Ophelia". They started playing at small bars as an acoustic duo until bassist Anastasia joined the group. Their first single as a band called "Murder and Create" was released this June.
Farwest Mandolinistic Orchestra
An avant-garde quartet, led by the experienced musician Sotiris Debonos, along with three leading figures of the Greek alternative scene.
Athens Big Band
The Big Band of the Municipality of Athens (or Athens Big Band for short) was founded in 1998 by initiative of the Greek virtuοso pianist Yannis Terezakis, and has been a force of significant musical output for the city of Athens, as well as and the whole of Greece, ever since. Its repertoire consists of hundreds of arrangements from all eras and styles of jazz, including classic arrangements (Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Cole Porter, Sammy Nestico, Gordon Goodwin, John La Barbera etc.), more contemporary masterpieces of the big band repertoire (Charles Mingus, Michael Abene, Don Menza, Bob Mintzer, Arturo Sandoval, Paquito D'Rivera etc.), arrangements of popular songs (Phil Collins, etc.), funk, soundtracks, Christmas arrangements etc., classic arrangements of songs sang by legends like Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, etc. The repertoire covers a very wide spectrum inside the world of jazz music. The Athens Big Band has played in virtually all of the important venues of Greece, including the Athens and Thessaloniki Concert Halls, the Athens International Jazz festival in "Technopolis", the American College of Greece, the Hellenic-American Union, the Athens Conservatory, etc. It has collaborated with artists of international stature like composers-arrangers William Russo, Dan Owens, soloists Bobby Shew, Chico Freeman, Vince DiMartino, Rex Richardson, Fred Hemke Jr, Mark Smith, Veronica Mortensen, Takis Paterelis, George Kontrafouris, Christos Rafailidis, Yotis Samaras, etc. The musicians comprising the Athens Big Band are all of exceptionally high musical standards, and are amongst the very best musicians in the country. Their level of expertise and vast experience, both individually as well as a group, makes the Big Band of the Municipality of Athens a musical force of exceptional merit.
Irie Action Sound System
Irie Action Sound System based in Athens. It’s the first Reggae Sound System in that land. Started in 2005 as a URM with founding member Oldjohn through his love of Reggae music and drawing inspiration from the Jamaican culture of the Sound Systems. Irie Action Sound System is an independent handheld audio system designed to play in every city of that land by transmitting the message and energy of Reggae Music. For Irie Action, Reggae Music is a mission and our mission is to provoke positive feelings in action.
SOULNEK
His first contact with hip hop culture was through breakdance, when he made his first dancing steps in Ilioupoli in 1992. In 1994, he participated with his band in Active Member's “Shadow Time” album. His first band, “Nevma”, released two Albums at Wipe Out. In 2003, the “Os Edo” are created. Since 2007, Nektarios as “Dj Soulnek” plays funk, soul and hip hop music in various bars in Athens. In 2012, he releases the album “SoulNek & Rsn” with Rsn: "I Need a Break", with beats made by Mc Yinka, Eversor, Taf Mist, Elephant Phinix, Christo Laina. They also form “Soul System” and appear in Greek Festivals as well as opening act to Belleruche . In 2014, he releases the solo album "Inside my Dark Side" produced by Eversor, Kill Emil, Mononome, Billa Qause, Vales, Dj Raz, Alex Kidone, Baroq Bitter, Taf Malfunction and feat. guests like Mc Yinka, Jk One, Ghetto Rock, Elephant Phinix, Taf Mathos, Razastarr, Alida Soulmama, Razestarr, Dj Cutbrawl, Dj Waif. Since June 2014, he has been signed at Bashmaking Records and is preparing his new personal work, having already released the single-music video "Born Like One" with Mc Allorposalo and Ailo.
Daphne Bluebird
Daphne BlueBird is a National Drama School of National Theater graduate and Athens Conservatory graduate. She is an active vocalist and songwriter in the international, European and Greek discography. She also spent 10 years in London where she completed an MA in Theater and Opera Directing and a MA in Modern Greek Studies and Sociolinguistics. She always creates new lyrical and musical material influenced by the Caribbean Reggae Roots blend, Dub & Neo-Soul genres. She collaborates as a songwriter and singer with international and Greek producers (Canada, Germany, Greece, England and Poland). Most of the songs she has written have already been broadcasted by major international radio stations such as BBC1xtra, BBC Radio 6 and others. Recent highlights of her career in Greece include “Come Back To Life” (Blend Mishkin & Roots Evolution), Bohemian (Boem), “Rude Boy” (Phyrosun), Soulnek, “Kiboo” (mCurtis), “Who Will Comfort Me” (AkizzBeatz), “Talk to me“(Boem), which have already received major airplay in radio stations such as Pepper, Kosmos and Athens Voice Radio.
Spyros Manessis
I am a jazz pianist, composer and jazz educator from Greece. I practice and teach jazz piano and improvisation. I have been active as a professional jazz musician for over fifteen years, collaborating with numerous national and international musicians of the highest level in Greece but also other European countries. My latest active projects with which I regularly record and perform are my trio “Spiral Trio”, “Christine Corvisier/Spyros Manesis Duo” and “TFATFY”. The last 8 years I am based in Athens where I teach at Athenaeum Conservatory and Musical Praxis Conservatory. I have also served as guest teacher at the Department of Music at Ionio University in Corfu. On November 2018 I had the pleasure to direct an improvisation workshop commissioned by the Greek National Opera.
Warriorz Dance
Warriorz Dance was formed in 2013. Their style is a composite of several musical genres with a large number of influences including funk, alternative rock, electronica, dnb, ragga. Characteristic to their sound is the combination of dub bass lines, Funky keys, guitars and Breakbeats.
ATENE DAIKO
The group follows the Hokuriku style from the homonymous region of western Japan - sensei Masaaki Kurumaya. Their vision is the spread of Jaiko's joy and indulgence in Greece.
Antonis Skamnakis
Antonis Skamnakis, in mystic vibes, playing Viola Da Gamba will present his Project “Viola Da Gamba Loops”. This is a musical journey from West Africa to Crete and from Marin Marais to Tom Waits.
Athens Municipal Symphonic Orchestra
A community symphony in Athens moved from idea to reality in the Summer of 1978 when a group of local musicians gathered and agreed: such an orchestra should be a not-for-profit organization; its members should be unpaid volunteers from Athens and the surrounding communities; and its concerts should be both free of charge and appealing to general audiences. It remains so four decades later. Symphonies performed by the orchestra include numerous works by the great classic and romantic composers (Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Schubert, and Schumann), but also include later works by Borodin, Tchaikovsky, and Dvorak, as well as a symphony by the twentieth-century composer Howard Hanson. The intention of every program is to present music that is both great and widely appealing, in keeping with its original mission as a community orchestra — to not only bring great music to the people, but also bring the people to great music. In 2008, the Symphony established, on a permanent basis, the Athens Symphony Chorus with 125 volunteer singers from Athens and surrounding communities. The Classic Center’s acquisition of an orchestra shell for concert performances helped produce a superior concert-hall sound consistent with other major orchestras, taking full advantage of the excellent acoustics in the Classic Center Theatre. Entering its 40th season, the Athens Symphony continues to present carefully selected programs that explore the range and depth of both classical and popular music, making it one of the brightest lights in the Athens music scene.
RECOVERY
A music project created in Athens in 2017. Recovery was initially founded by a duo that wanted to explore their favorite music from a different angle. The band now has four members and covers songs from different music genres and regions blending songs into mash-ups. Recovery is a process, a healing through music. Recovery are Dimitra Patraskidou (drums), Zoe Mammi (vocals), Konstantinos Kotsos (guitar), and Konstantinos Papadopoulos (bass guitar).
MELENTINI
Melentini is a Greek musician, singer/songwriter & performer living in Berlin. Since 2013 she has been performing as a solo artist or with her band , the Running Blue Orchestra in selected festivals and headline concerts. Her latest Lp ZRSHA;FUNDUS UTERUS was released in 2018 with music producer Richard König and was considered in the lists with best albums of '18. The unique cover case of her CD album, designed by Alexandra Alexandridou was distinguished and featured in Packaging of the world online magazine. For the official video of her song Asana /metamorphosis she collaborated with the film production 6th finger studio under the artistic direction of Evelyn Bencicova. The video was nominated at the Berlin Music Video awards, at Render:the Vancouver International Music video awards, Hollywood Women's Film Festival, and won the prize for best music video at Global Film festival awards in L.A. She performed her new album with her band in Greece, Germany, Poland and at LINECHECK Festival in Milan. Melentini has created numerous soundtracks and songs for films such as the soundtrack for the feature film Afterlov /Αφτερλωβ (awarded in international film festivals of Locarno, Thessaloniki and Mons) directed by Stergios Paschos. Her collaboration with the producers the Blue Square for the track Nightkisser in 2014 became a radio hit . Furthermore she worked with legendary producer Steve Jansen (Japan, Nine Horses) on his personal album, Tender Extinction, for which Melentini wrote the lyrics and recorded vocals and trumpets for the song Sadness and also in his 2017 album the Extinct Suite. Her previous solo releases include the 2016 EP Λεωφόρος Εφιαλτών /Leoforos Efialton, an independent work in Greek self-released . Her 2013 album Explosions Around, The Desert inside ' was released on CD and vinyl receiving enthousiastic reviews and was selected by journalists in the best 10 Greek albums of the year. Her song "gone are the days" was selected among best songs from around the world for March 2013 by the Guardian.uk. She is the co founder of the independent electronic collective Sequence Theory project who have released 3 digital albums. As a singer and trumpet player she has collaborated with various significant artists through the years. Her songwriting is influenced by a variety of musical genres, including nu jazz, avant-pop, ambient and electronic music. She has been characterized as a unique case of musical phenomenon due to her unusual voice and exceptional songwriting according to critics.
MARVA VON THEO
Marva Von Theo is the Indie-Electronic, Dark-Pop duo of the singer-songwriter Marva Voulgari and composer-producer Theo Foinidis. Darkwave colors of the 80’s scene, pop-jazz-triphop female vocals, rock and dance drum beats resonate together inside their music and mature into atmospheric and darkly-romantic compositions, with rich harmonies and orchestration. Their Debut Album “Dream within a Dream” was self-released early in 2018, having garnered very positive reviews both in Greece and abroad, while its vinyl edition will soon be released by Shades of Sound/Wave Records (BR). They have performed live in various venues and festivals in Greece also as an opening act for artists, such as Motorama & Molly Nillson. In November 2018, they were chosen by NIMPE to participate at Linecheck Festival in Milan, during the Milan Music Week. They are currently recording their second album, which is expected to be released in 2019.
ANIMA
After a long time as a session player George Kosteletos decided to follow a new pathway as a solo performer. In 2018 he created a new project called Anima (Soul). This name (Anima) defines the nature and the direction of music, you facing the soul as an alternative means of connection and communication. He is influenced by the following types of music: ambient , house, neo soul, hip hop , drum & bass. He often calls his style : Digilog music. Something between analogue ('old') and digital ('new'). His music describes a reflection of the world , between the past and the future.
DE TRACES AFROCARIBBEAN IN DUB
A new project of De Traces. AfroCaribbean explosive musical alchemies in an unpredictable and exciting experimental dub landscape. Contemporary dynamic dance ElectroDub, Calypso, Soucous with sounds inspired by Africa and the Caribbean. Line up: Vangelis Gerasis/ keyboards-programming | Kostas Thomaides/ keyboards | Nikos Lazarev/ guitar-vocal | Marion Teach vocal & their special guest Ioanna Mavrogiorgi in movement improvisation
Negros Tou Moria
Black Morris is the approximate translation of Negros Tou Moria which in its original Greek is an adroit play on words with Geros Tou Moria, a legendary general of the Greek revolution against the Turkish occupation – this twist on a symbol of classic ‘Greekness’ goes a great way to describing the artist’s ethos, creativity and cultural dichotomy;he is an artist that embodies 21st century inner city Athens, speaking of and to its affronted youth with his own tenacious swagger. NTM or ‘Black Morris’ is best described as one of the most up and coming Greek rappers to have emerged in recent years, with unparalleled flow, prodigious beats and music that takes its cues from Europe and the US in equal measure, backed by a modern melting pot of intensely talented young producers and artists from a diversity of ethnic backgrounds. Born by Ghanaian parents in the economically depressed Athenian district of Ambelokipi, and growing up in and around the neglected Kipseli neighbourhood ‘Black Morris’ made his first tentative steps in the world of Greek rap next to the legendary MC TakiTsan and has since gone on to flesh out his unique and intuitive voice amongst the new-breed in his hometown.
Odysseas Tziritas
Fresh talent Odisseas Tziritas was born in Athens, just finished high school and continues his studies at the Music Conservatory. He plays piano and Electric guitar from his early age and he is influenced by IDM, jazz and funk. He writes songs since he was 10. In November 2018 released his first EP "Cynophobia", a collection of 4 Electronica tracks and "Ultrasounds" in January 2019. His full length album “Butterflies” is out (February 2019), which features 11 tracks influenced by pop, funk, jazz and blues Elements.
Αttab Ηaddad
Attab Haddad holds a degree in Business Management, a diploma in Sound Engineering as well as a Master’s degree with Distinction in Music Performance. He studied the oud with Ahmed Mukhtar in London, with Nihad El-Sayed and the renowned virtuoso Naseer Shamma at the Arab Oud House in Cairo and with the Turkish oud master Yurdal Tokcan in Istanbul and Greece. He has collaborated with many artists in many genres (Juan Martin, Cerys Matthews, Max Baillie, John Metcalfe, Eugene Skeef, Clara Sanabras, Ramon Ruiz, Sabina Rakcheyeva, Kinan Azmeh, Kathleen Tagg and many others) as co-composer, producer, musician and session player and featured as a guest on various albums. Haddad’s work has featured on BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 6, BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Arabic Service, SOAS Radio and Resonance FM as well as on various Middle Eastern and Turkish TV Channels and he has performed in the UK, Europe, USA, Turkey, Middle East and India to much acclaim. In 2008 he founded the Attab Haddad Quintet which plays his own compositions drawing on Middle Eastern music, Flamenco, Jazz and contemporary composed music creating a sound that is unique to the band. The Quintet has appeared live on BBC Radio and at some of London’s finest venues including Cadogan Hall where they supported Natacha Atlas, The Purcell Room, and The Forge where they closed the London Jazz Festival in 2011 and they released their first CD ‘Days Distinctive’ in 2012 on Weave Records to a great response from critics. Other long term projects include ARA Trio which has explored the commonalities between the folk music of the Middle East and southern Spain and a duet with percussionist Antonio Romero in which they perform music from composers of the Middle east like Simon Shaheen and Naseer Shamma, as well as Haddad’s own works. Aside of his performances, Haddad has worked within the spheres of dance, television and film. His playing features on the award winning film Theeb (2014) directed by Naji Abu Nowar, on Taxi Tehran directed by Jafar Panahi. He has also written music for several plays in the UK.
DRIVERS HIT
Driver's hit is a group specialized in driving people to fun... They perform through classical hits from all around the world. They like both Rock and dancing music. The members are: - guitar :Nestoras Apostolopoulos, -Frontman-vocals-guitar : Periklis Papaperikleous -Frontwoman -vocals: Evelina Miaouli - Low frequencies :Vassilis Fasoulis -Rhythmic tuxedos: George Gartzopoulos.
POLYPHONICA was established in 2011 as a non-profit company with cultural and social objectives. It strives to provide children and youths from underprivileged backgrounds (regardless of their place-of-origin, their religion or their language) with the opportunity to participate in a community that offers them a chance to learn and create. It is an organization devoted to music, the fine arts, and literature, whose broad goal is to encourage children and youth to develop their potential by acquiring self-confidence and self-respect, qualities essencial for their development as responsible people and citizens in society. Their first project was the creation of a cross-cultural youth choir, the POLYPHONICA VOICES, in which young people learn to sing in a correct and safe manner, in order to communicate and to cooperate. Teachers of this group are the experienced musicians Mariza Vamvoukli, Elsa Kundig and Myrto Tikov. Registrar fir the Choir is Elli Kosteletou. The choir has been designed for young people between the ages of 7 and 15. Participation in the musical activities of POLYPHONICA is free-of-charge for the underpriviledged children and it is supported by sponsorships and donations, an association of “Friends” and by volunteers. It is run by the General Assembly of its Founding Members and a seven-member Board of Directors.
ERT National Symphony Orchestra
National Symphony Orchestra founded in 1938, the Contemporary Music Orchestra founded in 1954 and the ERT Choir founded in 1977. From 2014 to 2015 they were replaced by the NERIT Musical Groups. On 11 June 2015, the day of ERT's reopening, the Music Settlements gave a concert at the Radio Gateway of Agia Paraskevi to celebrate its opening, giving it again on stage as ERT's Music Ensembles. To this day, they continue to contribute to society with a series of cultural and art actions, where citizens have the opportunity to enjoy projects of high aesthetic value in important concert venues. The ERT National Symphony Orchestra has been performing works by important Greek and international composers, with acclaimed conductors and researchers, since 1938.
Cinema Paradiso Project
Cinema Paradiso Project create their own musical world through music and pictures of movies we loved. With soundtracks from International and Greek cinema, the figure moves within a classical crossover atmosphere combining latin and soul sounds, rock elements and greek greek music. Line up: Suzana Giannakopoulou/ Song | Sofia Rumsarakis/ piano | Evangelia Lofytou/ Accordion, communication | Galina Brautuska: violin Elsa Papeli/ Cello | Eugene Bratuska/ double bass | Dimitris Pappas/ classical guitar | Christina Katsiari/ acoustic guitar, program editing, texts, videos |Dimitris Arapantelis/ electric guitar, orchestrations, song / vocals | Iakovos Pavlopoulos/ percussion, vocals
Skankaram
The band was created in October 2018 in the narrow streets of southern Athens and their selist comprises some RnB, Reggae and boom bap rhythms with influences from Robert Glasper, Groundation and Black focus. Manos Agouridis (drums) Yiannis Grigoras (bass) Petros Christidis (voice and samples)
Apostolos sideris
Apostolos Sideris was born in 1978 in Athens, Greece, where he had his first musical training, playing the classical flute. By the time he was 15 he had switched to the electric bass. It didn't take long for him to fall in love with the instrument, and he was soon playing with various rock bands around Athens. By the time he was 17, his focus was directed towards Jazz music, something that led him to make the move and go to Boston, in order to attend Berklee. Following his stint in Boston, Apostolos moved to New York and earned his Master's degree in jazz Performance at the City College of NY, while being instructed by bass virtuoso, John Patitucci. Since then he has been freelancing around the States as well as abroad. He has performed with a wide array of musicians. In addition to being a performer, he is a devoted composer, writing in many different styles, ranging from Jazz to Middle Eastern and Latin influenced music. He currently resides in Istanbul Turkey and he has been directing his creative energy mainly toward working with an Ethnic-Jazz group he co-founded, called MESEL, as well as preparing his own album called ‘Σummation’, which will consist of his own compositions and improvisations, based on Greek and Middle Eastern themes through his own Jazz- influenced percpective.
Irene Skylakaki
Irene Skylakaki is a London-based singer/songwriter, originally from Athens, Greece. To date, Irene has released three critically acclaimed studio albums: Wrong Direction (2012), Before Dawn (2014) and Matterless (2018), which was produced by Danton Supple (Coldplay, U2, Morrissey) and features musicians such as Richard Jupp (Elbow). Irene's debut single In the Light reached the top of the Greek iTunes charts and her songs have been featured in TV commercials, as well as film soundtracks. She has performed as a supporting act for artists such as Macy Gray, Jessie Ware, Beirut, Daughter, Cass McCombs, Toploader and Archive. Previous festival performances include the Rockwave, En Lefko Festival, Swanbourne and Release Festival, and in 2012 she was one of the youngest artists ever to perform at the Athens Concert Hall Garden.
Parity
A guitar/drums duo leaves lots of space for expression and lots of space to cover, at the same time. Parity, a duo of George Stavroulakis on guitar and Vasilis Horianopoulos on drums, go back and forth between this fine line that separates expression and abstraction, filling up the space with lines, harmonies and lush soundscapes. Hear Parity play their own music and music from the 90s that they love, blending elements of improvisation with post-rock soundscapes and contemporary music language, alternating their musical density between melody, harmony and rhythm.
Georgia Dagaki
Georgia Dagaki was born in Athens where she lives to this very day. She has origins in Crete and thus from a very young age she came to love Cretan music. When Georgia was twelve years old, she started her lyra lessons with Manolis Pirovolakis as her tutor. At the same time, she also started singing lessons and harmonics at the Conservatory of Athens and graduated from the Music Gymnasium of Ilion. Her studies at the National Conservatory were later on enriched with classes in musical history and studies of musical instruments. When she graduated from High School, she was enrolled at the Department of Photography of the TEI University in Athens. By the time she turned 16, Georgia Dagaki made her first steps as a professional musician. Since then, she has performed either solo or with other famous Cretan artists. Her repertoire is not limited solely to playing folk Cretan music but extends to other genres of Greek music. In 2002, she recorded her first CD-single that included compositions and remakes of Manolis Pirovolakis’ work, and in 2006 she recorded a complete CD with the title "Stin akri aftou tou kosmou" (meaning: At the edge of this world). Highlights of her career are her collaboration with Giannis Markopoulos, Vasilis Papakonstantinou and recently with Eric Burdon.
Mica Eio
Mica is a Greek-based multi-genre singer and composer. She has served her original style faithfully for over a decade, with drum n bass grooves the soulful house and gospel trap. She has worked as a session musician at Jamestown Studios and performed live on both drum n’ bass sets (New Wave DnB) and Gospel vocal groups in London. Her debut EP “Magic Ball” (The Sound of Everything) features fresh sounds and soul influenced vocals. With a new Album on the way, which features ambient, House, RnB, Drum n Bass and neo-soul elements, she enters to the Neon and fluorescence era and being a junkie of aesthetics, she makes a transition from a sterile music education to her true sound. She has been performing in European Festivals with recent highlights “Jazz & Blues Rallye 2018” and Linecheck festival 2018.
Gilad Atzmon
Gilad Atzmon is an award winning British Jazz artist and author. He was described by John Lewis at the Guardian as the “hardest-gigging man in British jazz.” He was praised by Robert Wyatt as the “best living musician in the world.” Atzmon tours extensively around the world with his Orient House Ensemble. His solo albums, of which he has recorded fifteenth albums to date, often explore humanitarian themes and the music of the Middle East. As a member of the legendary Blockheads, Gilad has also recorded and performed with Ian Dury, Robbie Williams, Sinead O’Connor and Paul McCartney. Gilad has also recorded with Robert Wyatt, Water Boys and many others. In 2014 he recorded with Pink Floyd and is featured as a soloist on their last album The Endless River (Anisina).
Bandallusia
Bandallusia is a group of friends and musicians who started appearing on the streets of Athens, but also in various parts of island and continental Greece. At first, their repertoire ranged between Greek rock, art, rebetiko and later the traditional-folk song. The fruits of their experimentation in composing music and lyrics started in 2014 leading to their Debut album release “Loksodromia” in May 2017. Their setlist comprises Original compositions, Traditional songs and covers from Greek Discography. They are now preparing their next album, while they are featured at festivals all over Greece, but also in Athenian music venues. Their musical style can be described as alternative with strong Greek and Balkan traditional elements. The members of the band are: -Iliana Paspala: Vocals -George Antonis: Vocals, percussion -Oriest Gargoulakis: Flute, Flogera -Kostis Panagoulis: Electric and Acoustic guitar -Alexander Orfanos: Trumpet, Irish bouzouki -Stelios Chrysanthopoulos: Electric Bass, Violin -Heraklis Tsesmelis: Drums
BORRA
BORRA is a four-piece band playing ritual afro-electro punk. The high energy phychedelic mood that explodes on stage is inspired by Bora, a bitch suffering from disorder of orientation. Maria Sideri (vocals-looper) Panos Papazoglou (guitar-vocals) Labrini Grigoriadou (bass-vocals) Dimitris Oikonomou (drums-vocals)
UNISON
Unison (Unison) is a musical action taking place at the Kypseli Municipal Market. Through Unison, approaching topical social issues, communication, discussion, celebrations and mobilisation of the world for action by developing urban music ensembles and interactive concerts with friends, active citizens and socially oriented organizations and quests. Their multicultural musical ensembles (choir, orchestra), unite, reinforce the awareness of important human rights and social issues of the time by bringing the city's inhabitants in touch via a group musical experience.
ORIGINS SOUND SYSTEM
ORIGINS SOUND SYSTEM hand-made Reggae-Dub Sound System Line up: I'N'ITY CONNECTION selectors, Heviweit selectors kai Systematic: Ska, Rocksteady, Roots Reggae, Dub, Uk Steppers.
Alekos Vretos
Greek musician and composer Alekos Vretos seamlessly divines the perfumed essence of Middle Eastern music, infusing that essence into jazz and creating a rich world music hybrid that is as enjoyable to listen to as it is bold to consider.’ All ABout Jazz, 2015. Vretos plays the oud, of which sound is woody and strangely elastic, largely due to its fretless fingerboard. Like the traditional western mandolin, it is a fine vehicle for improvisation, something Vretos amply demonstrates on his albums and on stage. With his album ‘Mergin’ (2009), Vretos merged Arabic and Latin Music with taste and intelligence. His last album ‘K on Top of the Piano’ (2014) has not only a flavor of organically produced music but is strickingly graphic and vivid. Alekos Vretos has collaborated with legendary composer Mikis Theodorakis, as well as Gilad Atzmon, Simon Shaheen, Martha D. Lewis, Theodore Antoniou, The Greek Contemporary Ensemble, The Kamerata, the Jazz Upstairs Big Band, Yorgos Fakanas, Dimitris Maragopoulos, The Athens State Orchestra, Lakis Chalkias, Kostas Thomaidis and Takis Paterelis to name a few. For his work and help towards the music scene (especially World Jazz), he was included in 2013 list of the 100+1 most influential people in the Greek music scene published by the Athens Voice newspaper.
Stathis Drogosis
Stathis Drogosis , a pure Athenian artist, has been writing songs and making records since 1999 with a full music career covered by the national media. He has been featured as a songwriter, singer or musician in established artists discography such as Manolis Phamelos, Isaiah Matiba , Petros Gaitanos, Vasilis Kazoulis, Giorgos Dimitriadis, Nikos Ziogalas and many others.
The Noise Figures
The Noise Figures are a fuzz rock duo from Athens, Greece, comprised of George Nikas and Stamos Bamparis.
Remi & the road
Singer/Songwriter Remi & the road (originally started as "Remi") grew up in the island of Spetses. Since 2009 he has been actively performing as a Folk, Country, Bluegrass and Rock & Roll artist through various musical scenes of Greece and Europe. His music has a flavour of street music and real stories of journeys around the world.
Antonis Livieratos
A multi-instrumentalist avant-garde singer and songwriter, Antonis is active since 1982 with numerous albums and performances, either solo or with various groups (Chapter 24, Illegal Operation, Dr. Atomik, Sigmatropic).
Mixed Choir of the Municipality of Kifissia
The Mixed Choir of the Municipality of Kifissia was formed in 1992 under the direction of Giorgos Arvanitis. The choir has participated in international choir festivals, in Greece and abroad. It has collaborated with the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation Musical Ensembles and other musical ensembles. Since 2004, Thanasis Arvanitis is the director of the Choir.