Dimitrios Vassilakis Online

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PARALLEL LINES Candid Records © 2005 "*Infinite grace, poetry and passion" "Greek saxophone prodigy Dimitri Vassilakis is revered as the Hellenic god of post-modern expression as he proves on his provocative new CD Parallel Lines* (Candid). A rhapsodic stylist of immense power and authority." London Jazz Festival 2005 "...an album that's filled with exquisite musicianship, fire, and hard-swinging grooves—could justifiably put Greek saxophonist Dimitrios Vassilakis on the who’s who list of world-class reed players..." All About Jazz Mark F. Turner - All About Jazz (7/06) "A very impressive trio outing...explosive in its impact, with Vassilakis’s energized and inventive soloing on tenor and soprano, (suggestive at times of Sonny Rollins and David Liebman respectively), surging over the propulsive rhythms, but also incorporating subtler use of light and shade and musical colour. The groove tracks are a kind of meditation, while the last track "The Drum Think" is a dramatic tenor/drums overdub." Jazzwise * * * * "Greek saxophonist Dimitri Vassilakis' third album for Candid Parallel Lines, swings hard from start to finish, and does both Vassilakis and his primary influence, Sonny Rollins, proud. The music is fresh, organic, and energized. Ideas tumble out of Vassilakis' tenor and there's a depth to his tone, which reminds you, happily, of Rollins and another notable Rollins descendant, David S. Ware. Essiet Okon Essiet and Jeff "Tain" Watts both contribute passionate solos, but most of the album is Vassilakis', and he strides out with vigor and sustained invention. A very fine album from a player who is only now approaching first maturity." www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=20342 All About Jazz “Tenor and soprano saxophonist Vassilakis leads a trio that includes bassist Essiet Essiet and drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts in a set of venturesome groove-based originals. He has nice chops, plenty of energy and a modestly original approach...I’ve little doubt that if these three played live, it would burn...We get a hint of that on the final cut, “The Drum Think,” whereupon Vassilakis and Watts??? go one-on-one to some inspired ends...” Jazz Times October 06 Chris Kelsey http://www.jazztimes.com/reviews/cd_reviews/detail.cfm?article_id=17333&section=CD%20Reviews&issue=200610 “...The album kicks off as it means to continue, overflowing with hard-toned, high-powered swing...performance is conducted with ecstatic style and the music is bright and brand new...the tenor’s tone has considerable depth and Vassilakis leads all the way, his composition and playing both sustaining an infinity of poetic elegance...This trio is one classy act and in this creation delivers a hot, but sweet, expressive warmth...” Cardiff Jazz Society Ken Cheetham March 2006 http://www.cardiffjazz.org/kccd-vassilakis.html “...His timbre is soaked in thick, slow harmonic molasses...On “The Drum Think” Vassilakis plays both instruments, immersed in sonic conversation he enables the drum set to participate in the dialogue by tuning the drumheads to select tones...Whether at the forefront of the band on tenor and soprano saxophones, in a supporting role on the drum set, or supplying atmosphere with his voice, Vassilakis sets himself apart from his idols while striving evermore for his personal sound...” One Way Magazine LA http://www.onewaymagazine.com/spot_22-1061.html Jason Sklar "Vassilakis fizzes with energy and boots around neo-bop with easy freedom, the music is powered by phenomenal drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts and bassist Essiet Okon Essiet, to produce a trio date with a disproportionately big sound." City Life "Greece’s most famous jazz musician" with drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts and bassist Essiet Okon Essiet have faultless technique and abundant musical ideas. From the post-boppish title track and the briskly endearing *Little One, Vassilakis has the kind of attack on saxophone that made Eric Dolphy such a distinguished player. You’d be hard pushed to find fresher, more intelligent jazz anywhere." Recommended/* Eastern Daily Press * * * *
LABYRINTH Candid Records © 2001 *voted 2nd jazz album of the year 2002 at the bbc internet poll. www.bbc.co.uk/music/jazz/albumofyear.shtml "Infinite grace, poetry and passion inform this labyrinthine music… an excellent saxophonist and composer." BBC Music Magazine * Jazz album of the month, March 2002 "Leader Vassilakis’s compositions offer a perfect platform for post-modern expression…whiz-kid tenor player from Greece…post-Coltrane, post-Rollins style…high-energy and immensely fluid, Vassilakis draws stylistic fragments at will from the tradition, mediating taking the informed listener on a kaleidoscopic (or labyrinthine) ride through allusions and associations, all of which have emotional effects–overall, euphorically dizzying." New York Press (live at Birdland) "Vassilakis is a consistently interesting and often very impressive player…conjures amazing depths of color and harmonic resonance from his group…themes inspired by modern jazz filtered through a unique imagination and delivered by a powerfully individual voice." The Penguin Guide to jazz on CD 7th edition "A cut above the rest...still spinning furiously on this deck...a sparkling set of original tunes from Greek saxophonist...this album is a revelation." Ronnie Scott's magazine "Sweet, fluent, expressive, robust post-Coltrane style…an outstanding album." Jazzwise "An Album of the year." Jazz Review "Dimitrios Vassilakis is an excellent tenor and soprano saxophone player; this is stormy modern jazz, with an expert and elegant taste of swing and free improvization; Vassilakis is at the same time very technical, very expressive, swift and vigorous, but also attentive to a dramatic expressiveness that develops with originality; an interesting saxophone player worthy of greater stage." All about Jazz (Italy)
SECRET PATH Candid Records © 1998 "This is first class modal post-bop, played excellently and with imperturbable elegance and warmth. Early 60's John Coltrane, mid-60's Wayne Shorter (Blue Note era). With Vassilakis you hear Athens, such as the lovely jazz bossa-waltz "A puppet's dream" DV provides his take on those "jazz soloist with strings" settings with some wry, piquant writing for his combo and string quartet. On this Path, creative and engaging jazz, by a player who shouldn't be kept a Secret." Jazz Review "Vassilakis is a consistently interesting and often very impressive player…conjures amazing depths of color and harmonic resonance from his group…themes inspired by modern jazz filtered through a unique imagination and delivered by a powerfully individual voice. The Penguin Guide to jazz on CD 7th edition "As this album shows, he is an impressive musician…his authorship does not seem to restrict the variety of his solo responses…while his rhapsodic work has an almost Rollins-like swagger." Jazz Journal "Simply the best album in the field of the Greek jazz discography…mature playing, very high level of compositions, warm, melodic, polyrhythmic and full of little twists and turns." Sound & Hi-Fi magazine (Athens, 01/1999) "Best album for 1998.” Jazz & Τζαζ magazine (Athens, 12/98) "Great recording, beautiful sound on both horns and good writing." David Liebman "Top Greek jazzman…the music of the album combines the spiritual, esoteric element of the title with sensuality and intensity…his tunes are inspired, well built and easily remembered…one of the best albums for 1998." Virgin Mega Store Magazine (Athens, 02/1999) "Recording debut of the talented Greek saxman gaining International credit! He has found a strong voice and identity of his own – maturity and an all-round writing concept - daring for originality and experimentation; check the three different rhythmic motifs of Triptych, the amazing Secret Path, where his soprano reaches an ‘orgasmic’ climax, the sensual and sweet A Puppet’s Dream, the restless, energetic Regroova ce, the melodious and hedonistic Ammos-sommA and the happy and very pleasant Aegean Samba are the 'Sirens' of a magical 'Greekness'..." Pop & Rock magazine (Athens, 02/99)
LIVE PERFORMANCES "Leader Vassilakis’s compositions offer a perfect platform for post-modern expression…whiz-kid tenor player from Greece … post-Coltrane, post-Rollins style…high-energy and immensely fluid, Vassilakis draws stylistic fragments at will from the tradition, mediating taking the informed listener on a kaleidoscopic (or labyrinthine) ride through allusions and associations, all of which have emotional effects–overall, euphorically dizzying." New York Press (Live at Birdland) Click here to download SOUL EYES(.mp3 file, ~8mb) "Their duet showed that Abdullah Ibrahim and Dimitri Vassilakis have much in common as players; their approach to rhythm and space and a heritage of Eastern intonation. Both players gave bravura performances and their playing provided a tantalizing glimpse of musical possibilities." The Star (Live at State Theatre, Pretoria, South Africa) "He has a warm, bright tone and on soprano a distinctively Mediterranean / Balkan intonation, although Vassilakis scrupulously avoids tacking in clichéd ethnic trimmings. He sometimes uses an intensely controlled, muted voice like Joe Lovano, but he is also fond of complex fast-fingered runs, which take on a jig like quality in the folk-influenced tunes…the reedman has certainly established his own voice…Bheki Khoza also approved: ' he picked up beautifully on skokiaan - (their collaboration very effectively married Balkan tonalities and African dance rhythms)- because he doesn’t just play – he listens too'." Gwen Ansell – Jazz Heritage Magazine (Live in Johannesburg, South Africa, 03/99) "Pupils from schools in Alexandra Township gather at Alex Technical College for a jazz workshop hosted by celebrated Greek musician Dimitrios Vassilakis. The workshop sponsored by the cultural desk of the Greek consulate, was planned to offer disadvantaged communities access to art, instruments and the sounds of jazz." Sowetan (South Africa, 19/03/99) "Dimitrios plays with great passion and fertile imagination – he has a deep commitment to his art and deserves to be more widely heard." Bobby Watson "A wonderful person and musician." Michael Brecker "I thought last night’s concert at the Athens Concert Hall was excellent – first class music, a good big audience and a warm atmosphere, thanks to both Dimitri Vassilakis and Andy Sheppard – it got the ‘Britain in Greece Festival’ off to a good start!" Sir Michael Llewellyn Smith (British Ambassador – Athens 14/11/1998) "At the meeting of the International Association of Schools of Jazz 1998 in Cologne, he delivered a lecture on Balkan rhythms, melodies and improvisation techniques, before playing beautifully and contributing some fine original compositions…we are extremely happy to have the representation of Greece in the hands of this wonderful teacher and musician as well as a fine gentleman." David Liebman (07/98)
INTERVIEWS _ Listen to a recent interview at BBC radio! (in Greek) _ NEW Listen to the latest interview at BBC radio! (in Greek)