The online streaming of outstanding musical performances originally presented as part of the Athens and Epidaurus Festival 2020 begins with a concert by Mihalis Kalkanis Group featuring Haig Yazdjian & Jannis Anastasakis
ABOUT THE CONCERT
Bassist Mihalis Kalkanis stands out among the new generation of Greek jazz musicians. A highly creative, daring musician and composer, he is noted for his successful experimentations, delivering fascinating, unpredictable soundscapes.
Last summer, Kalkanis and his band, Mihalis Kalkanis Group, took the audience of the Little Theatre of Ancient Epidaurus by storm. The band was joined on stage by two special guests: Armenian oud virtuoso Haig Yazdjian, whose voice gave the concert a distinctly Oriental flavour, and celebrated avant-garde electric guitarist Jannis Anastasakis, who is always keen on experimenting. The concert was a truly mesmerising journey through sounds, music and songs from around the world, where jazz and tradition, music form and improvisation, acoustic instruments and electronic sounds were woven together. Mihalis Kalkanis introduced every new track by telling little stories about the inspiration behind each composition and the process of creating them, building a unique rapport with the audience.
The standing ovation of the audience at the end of the concert was the crown in the jewel of this exciting musical experience that relied on the musician’s virtuosity and improvisational inspiration. The end result has been – fortunately – captured on camera and viewers will also be able to enjoy it on their screens next Saturday.
ARTISTS
Musicians Jannis Anastasakis guitar, FX, Lefteris Andriotis Cretan lyre, Vasilis Baharidis drums, Orestes Benekas keyboards, piano, Mihalis Kalkanis double bass, Christos Kalkanis clarinet, Haig Yazdjian oud, vocals
Lighting design Perikles Mathiellis
Sound design Panagiotis Rizopoulos
Artistic supervision Mihalis Kalkanis
GALLERY
The Athens and Epidaurus Festival is funded by the Ministry of Culture and Sports
