(Jazz Fusion, Ethnic Fusion, Ethnic Jazz) [CD] Yiorgos Fakanas - Echoes - 2004, FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Yiorgos Fakanas in 1980 participated in the historic recording of Manos Hadjidakis’(composer of the Oscar- winning score for the famous film “Never on Sunday”) “Lilipoupolis”, and since then has taken part in numerous recordings by other composers, totaling over 900 albums. He formed the group ISKRA, which was to become the first jazz-fusion group in the country, and he participated in the EUROJAZZ orchestra as the only Greek representative, touring all of Europe.
He has 8 CDs as a leader : A New day, Parastasis, Horizon, Amorosa, Stand Art, Echoes, Domino and Interspirit with the contributions of many Greek and foreign musicians, including Dave Weckl, Anthony Jackson, Frank Gambale, Mike Stern, Mitch Forman, Wallace Roney, Lenny White, Brett Garsed, Bob Franceschini and many others.
Interspirit contains music specially composed for the legendary bassist Anthony Jackson. The cd is released by “Abstract Logix” Record Company and is distributed in USA, Europe and Asia. It has also been in the list of Nomination for the 53rd Grammy Award-Category : Best Contemporary Jazz Album. The music of the above mentioned cd has been presented in Japan, Korea, Europe and USA with big success. The Japanese Company “King Records” has re-released and distributed all over Asia, his previous cds “Echoes” and “Domino”.
Yiorgos has given many concerts playing his own music and conducting some of the biggest Greek Orchestras (Radio-Television Orchestra, Greek Radio Big Band, National Orchestra of Greek Music as well as many international ensembles and orchestras) at the “Athens Concert Hall-Megaron” , Lycabettus Theatre, Herodion and the “Pallas Concert Hall”.
"Echoes"
Color, movement, horizons, meetings, perfume from Greece. This is the 'Echoes' (echoes) the new album by George Fakanas just released by LIBRA MUSIC. A geography of contemporary music, a new sonic topography of our land. Through its rich discography, the Fakanas now comes with 'Echoes' to give a personal feel for our country. The project is a musical journey in ten regions of Greece. Thrace, Macedonia, Epirus, Thessaly, Central Greece, Peloponnese, Aegean, the Dodecanese and Crete, illustrated with textures ranging from tradition and evolve the sound of today. The aim of Fakanas is to show the historical dimension of music, as understood by a contemporary composer, whose personal writing is to read the first formal expression of tradition. So the tradition is just the trigger, the starting point, the space of inspiration. The final sound is completely modern. Only a few minor references, some passages of sounds and rhythms remind us yesterday. The structure is modern, inspired the plot, the evolution unpredictable. It touches the thymic, transfers images and describes contemporary events through a rich narrative writing and dense and strong compositional language.
Like all of us, so in Fakanas not exude all areas of Greece the same feeling. This particular color of each site is attributed to 'Echoes' through changing musical impressions, puffy musical density and gravity. Pieces extrovert and introvert pieces, pieces that act as modern dance and lyrical wanderings attribute and geographic diversity of the mental impressions and emotions tied to us and continue to bind us to this earth. The 'Echoes' are echoes of optimistic look at us in our future.
Of course we must refer particularly to the very important musical forms of participating in 'Echoes'. The internationally known American trumpeter Wallace Rony (Wallace Roney) holds one of the first roles in the project, the Greek side but international career vimprafonista of 'Manhattan Vibes' Chris Rafailides. And the list by outstanding musicians has no end (the record simply because the reference to the staff of each project would require pages) David Lynch, Nick Kapilidis, Dimos Dimitriadis, Yazdjian Haig, George Maniatis, Enrique Bu, Dimitris Kalantzis, Anthony Ladopoulos, Gouastor Achilles, and one of the best string orchestras.
'Echoes' was written with the project "East of Newfoundland" (unpublished work with songs) at the request of artistic director of KOEM, Xarchakos (1997), and presented for the first time in the Palace (12/06/2000) from the KOEM (State Orchestra Of Hellenic Music) in direction of the composer. The project was re-recorded for the album.

Personnel :
Yiorgos Fakanas: bass
Wallace Roney: trumpet
Christos Rafailides: vibes
Haig Yazdjian: oud
David Lynch: flute, soprano, tenor sax
Nikos Kapilidis: drums
Dimos Dimitriadis: alto sax
Tasos Katsaris: tenor sax
Yiorgos Maniatis: drums
Enrique Bu: percussion
Dimitris Kalantzis: piano
Antonis Ladopoulos: soprano, alto, tenor sax
Achilleas Wastor: piano
String Quintet:
Nina Patrikidou: A' violin
Alfred Shtuni: B' violin
Misha Smirnof: viola
Costis Theos: cello
Angelos Repapis: double bass
ΚΟΕΜ (State Orchestra Of Hellenic Music)