PLOVDIV CHAMBER SCENE 2022

For the 12th time in a row, the Plovdiv Chamber Scene team announces its plans for an uncompromisingly strong season within the year with a focus on young, talented and already proven artists on the European jazz scene. After a successful 11th season in 2021 dedicated to new projects by Bulgarian jazz artists, today the organisers turn to the music of Europe.

Location: Culture Hotspot Milcho Leviev – Ivan Chernozmeski House, 5 Tsanko Lavrenov St.

Programme:

Vassil Spasov Trio – 22 May, 19:00 h.
Featuring:
Vasil Spasov - piano
Petar Slavov - double bass
Atanas Popov - drums
More information can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/events/720863625994447/?ref=newsfeed

Alf Carlsson – June 16

Kostas Maginas – July 15

Guitarist Kostas Maginas, one of the most recognized Greek musicians, is a frequent guest on the European stage with his own projects and a number of notable musicians such as Lee Konitz, Dick Griffin, Ark Turner, Trilok Gurtu, Rick Margitsa, David Schnitter, Greig Bailey, Sam Newsome, Rob Dixon, Roberto Gatto, Rosario Guliani, Mark Abrams, Alex Foster, Danilo Rea, Larry Vuckovich, Stepko Gut, Keith Copeland, Jakubu Griffin, Benjamin Henock, Olivier Gatto, Milcho Leviev, Nicolas Simion and others.

Free from stereotypes and conventions, his new project SoundTracks moves freely in musical genres, such as blues, rock, hip-hop, jazz, ambient. Using effects, isolating and emphasizing elements of musical expression, he creates forms rich in color, dynamics and contrasts that work together as the starting point of highly impressive musical journeys. Music, sometimes electric, expressionistic, experimental, with an emphasis on rhythm, and other times gentle, lyrical and ethereal, constantly creating images and emotions reminiscent of a song-film waiting to be shot...

Maginas' discography includes:

``DIALOGUES'' (Ano Kato records reiι 2017).

“SEVEN FOR A SECRET” (Ano Kato records rei 2022).

“THE CALL” (Ano Kato records rei 2038, Cue 001)

“SOUNDTRACKS” (2022)

Jiří Kotača QUARTET – 28 July

On July 28, 2022, Thursday, at 20.00 at the Culture Hotspot Milcho Leviev - "The House of Ivan Chernozemski" in the Old Town at Tsanko Lavrenov Street No. 5, we will hear Alf Carlsson § Jiří Kotača Quartet - a European jazz formation composed of Swedish, Czech and Slovak jazz musicians. Alf Karlsone known as the author of the music for the Nobel Prize, and Jiri Kotača was nominated for the Czech Grammy Award named after the Anděl Prize, winning its 2020 edition.

In the upcoming concert, the artists meet in an interesting jazz context, allowing themselves to experiment with the musical history of their traditions and roots. The result is a strong eclectic program of lyrical original compositions as well as arrangements of Czech, Slovak and Swedish folk tunes. In their latest projects, the artists are looking for new means of expression and modern multiplication in electronic sound.

The group has performed dozens of concerts in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden. All members of the band, despite their young age, have already established themselves on the native and European scene. They work with top jazz musicians such as David Dorůžka, Sulivan Fortner, Ilja Reijngoud, as well as the European radio Jazz Orchestra.

Concert "Night at the Jazz Club" – 8 August

The three outstanding artists - Lyubomir Denev - piano, Vesela Morova - vocals and Petar Momchev - saxophone, await the audience on August 8, Monday, from 8:00 p.m. at Culture Hotspot Milcho Leviev - "Ivan Chernozemski" House in the Old Town, Tsanko Lavrenov St. " 5.

When 7-8 years ago Ljubo Denev - an established jazz composer and pianist, who participated in a number of European jazz festivals and the author of emblematic Bulgarian jazz works, persistently searched for a suitable singer for his new musical ideas, he without hesitation settled on the graduate of the Berkeley College in Boston - Vesela Morova.

Her musicality, mobile voice, improvisational skills and general culture are more than convincing and they start working together, with Lubomir Denev composing several new pieces especially for her. This also leads to the logical decision that Vesela's first solo CD will be entirely composed by Denev.

In 2016, they recorded the album "Night in the Jazz Club", together with Dimitar Karamfilov on the double bass and Dimitar Semov on the drums, and Petar Momchev - soloist of the BNR Big Band - was invited for the saxophone parts. Numerous club concerts, appearances at festivals (Varna summer, Bansko, etc.), television shows and many others follow.

Ljubo Denev considers himself the successor of Milcho Leviev and the continuation of his work. He was nursed on the music of Jazz-Focus 65 since his school years, felt its influence in his first jazz-opuses (late 70s), met the great musician at his home in Los Angeles (1984), arranged for big band several of his pieces, and their relationship strengthened during their joint work - Ljubo conducted the concert for Milcho's 60th anniversary in Hall 1 of the NDK-Sofia. At the Jazz Festival in Bansko 2020, Lyubomir Denev, Vesela Morova and Petar Momchev present a program entirely of Leviev's works, in his memory.

At "Chamber Stage Plovdiv" in Culture spot Milcho Leviev, the Morova-Denev-Momchev trio will present a unique jazz performance based on their album "Night in the Jazz Club". Along with the improvisations on author's themes by Lubomir Denev, classic standards by Cole Porter, Talonius Monk, Milcho Leviev and others will be performed, combined with the composer's poems from his cycle "Rhythmed Words".

Matthias Schwengler QUARTET – 9 August

Chamber Stage Plovdiv" presents the next surprise from its summer program - the German trio Soulcrane on August 9, 2022. from 8:00 p.m. at Culture Hotspot Milcho Leviev (Ivan Chernozemski House) in the Old Town at 5 Tsanko Lavrenov Street.

 Soulcrane was formed as a trio in early 2015 by trumpeter Matthias Schwengler. The group performs its own original compositions, its musical direction constantly changing in response to new ideas. All three musicians bring their own influences to the band to create a collective and innovative sound, a blend of novelty and tradition. The three Cologne-based musicians work and compose together, maintaining the warm and chamber music nature of their work.

For their tour in Bulgaria, Soulcrane invites Dimitar Llelev - saxophone. He greatly contributes to the intimate atmosphere created by the band on stage, fitting equally well with the quiet dynamics, depth and soulful balladry of the sound, but also with the harmonically complex and dynamic-rhythmic amplitudes of the stage.

We will hear Soulcrane in the lineup: Matthias Schwengler – Trumpet, Dimitar Liolev – Saxophone, Reza Askari – Double Bass, Philipp Brämswig – Guitar.

Arifa – 10 August
Lakis Tzimkas – 3 September

Synchronous Conservatory Sextet - September 10, Saturday, 8 p.m.

The wind sextet of the Synchronous Conservatory of Thessaloniki will perform in the program of the PLOVDIV CHAMBER STAGE platform in September.

After two successful concerts at an ancient theater in Plovdiv from the BALKAN CONNECTION project, PLOVDIV CHAMBER STAGE unites its ideas with three key cultural institutions from Bulgaria and Greece. AMTII Prof. A. Diamandiev - Plovdiv, Thessaloniki Philharmonic and Synchronous Conservatory - Greece.

Apart from a representative sample of the Thessaloniki Synchronous Conservatory, the artists of the formation are also main figures in the composition of the Thessaloniki Philharmonic.

The concert takes place in collaboration with the 6th International Youth Festival "Crossroads".

The sextet's program will feature works by Greek, Bulgarian and French composers.

Alkis Baltas, Marin Goleminov and Francis Poulenc - concert for piano and brass quintet.

Synchronous Conservatory Sextet

Dieter Vocht - Flute

Panagiotis Kuyumdzoglu - Oboe-

Cosmas Papadopoulos - Clarinet-

Malina Illopoulou - Bassoon-

Adriana Soos - Falthorna-

Claudio Strunga - Piano-

For more information, please follow Chamber Scene Plovdiv, Culture Hotspot Milcho Leviev and Culture and Education Society Milcho Leviev.