PREVEZA JAZZ FESTIVAL
Purple
is the Color
This is Preveza Jazz Festival 2025 Playlist
Friday, May 30, 2025 Seaside Promenade, 9:00 p.m.
Jazz-Rock band
Greece
​
​
Saxophones: Pavlos Tsolis, Christos Makris, Daphne Anagnostopoulou, Haris Tzimas
Drums: Vasianna Maniki
Bass: Alkis Koronaios
Electric Guitar: Maria Paliaga
Cello: Iason Barolas
Vocals: Aliki Efthymiou, Vasiliki Tsouli
Supervisor: Vaggelis Kapsalis
​
The newly formed modern ensemble of the Music School of Preveza will present adaptations of songs with English and Greek lyrics in an alternative style blending jazz and rock elements.
Purple is the Color
Αυστρία
The quartet consists of:
Simon Raab – piano
Stepán Flagar – saxophone
Martin Kocián – bass
Michal Wierzgon – drums
​
Purple is the Color is a Czech-Austrian quartet that brings a fresh, elegant, and captivating approach to contemporary jazz. With a sound that transcends traditional boundaries and embraces influences from various musical styles, the band creates an atmosphere full of emotion and spontaneity.
Their name symbolizes the balance between heart (red) and mind (blue), with a touch of magic (green). Since their formation, they have gained international recognition, winning awards such as the Central European Jazz Competition (2018) and performing at major festivals including Jazzahead! (2023).
The ensemble was selected as a NASOM “New Austrian Sound of Music” act (2020–21)—a prestigious distinction that highlights their quality and innovative sound.
​
Their discography includes albums such as Unmasked (2017) and Epic (2020). Since autumn 2024, they have been the Stageband at Vienna’s renowned Porgy & Bess, further solidifying their place on the European jazz scene.
The concert is part of the “Greek-Austrian Music Summer 2025” program organized by the Austrian Embassy.
EABS
Poland
Marek PÄ™dziwiatr – keyboards
PaweÅ‚ Stachowiak – bass
Marcin Rak – drums
Olaf WÄ™gier – saxophone
Jakub Kurek – trumpet
​
In recent years, the international jazz scene has experienced a revival through new movements emerging from pioneering cities such as Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and London. In this new era, the Polish band EABS (Electro-Acoustic Beat Sessions) from WrocÅ‚aw has embraced the philosophy of “reconstruction through deconstruction,” blending classic jazz elements with contemporary urban music influences.
​
Formed in 2012 out of the legendary jam sessions at the Puzzle Club, EABS have evolved into one of the leading forces of the Polish jazz scene. Their debut album Repetitions (Letters to Krzysztof Komeda) (2017) received widespread critical acclaim, while their subsequent releases, including Slavic Spirits (2019) and Discipline of Sun Ra (2020), explored themes such as Slavic heritage and the cosmic philosophy of Sun Ra.
They have performed at major festivals and venues across the globe—from Europe to China and South Korea—and collaborated with artists such as Tenderlonious and the Pakistani ensemble Jaubi. Their album In Search of a Better Tomorrow (2023) brought them international recognition, while their latest release, Reflections of Purple Sun (2024), pays tribute to the legendary Polish trumpeter Tomasz StaÅ„ko.
​
With their distinctive fusion of jazz, hip-hop, electronic, and traditional sounds, EABS continue to innovate while maintaining a strong cultural and social identity in their music.
The concert is supported by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute (Instytut Adama Mickiewicza / Culture.pl) and the Embassy of Poland in Greece.
Saturday, May 31, 2025 Seaside Promenade, 9:00 p.m.
Tele-Port
Luxemburg
Pol Belardi (Luxembourg) – bass
Jeff Herr (Luxembourg) – drums
Jérôme Klein (Luxembourg) – keyboards
Zhenya Strigalev (United Kingdom) – saxophone
​
Tele-Port is an innovative jazz quartet that fuses contemporary jazz with groove and electronic elements, creating a unique and modern sound. The group brings together four outstanding musicians from the European jazz scene: bassist Pol Belardi, pianist Jérôme Klein, drummer Jeff Herr from Luxembourg, and saxophonist Zhenya Strigalev from Russia, a prominent figure on the London jazz scene.
​
Their music is characterized by intricate arrangements, rich sonic textures, and daring improvisations that transcend the traditional boundaries of jazz. Their rhythmic structures and atmospheric sounds create an immersive listening experience, drawing inspiration from bands such as Kneebody, Donny McCaslin, and Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band.
​
Their debut album, Tele-Port (2021), introduced their distinctive sound—combining contemporary jazz aesthetics with deep grooves and electronic touches. Their follow-up release, Please Disperse (2023), pushed their musical boundaries even further, featuring expansive soundscapes, dynamic rhythmic shifts, and emotionally charged melodies that firmly established Tele-Port as one of the most innovative quartets in European jazz.
​
Renowned for their explosive live performances, Tele-Port have appeared at major festivals and venues across Europe. Their concerts blend technical mastery with powerful expressiveness, offering audiences a dynamic and unpredictable musical experience.
The Speakeasies' Swing Band!
Greece
Katerina Sisinni – vocals
Manolis Stamatiadis – piano
Panos Karnoutsos – electric guitar
Panos Voulgarakis – double bass
Giannis Dalianis – acoustic guitar
Christos Papadopoulos – clarinet
Grigoris Oikonomou – drums
​
The Speakeasies Swing Band have been captivating audiences in Greece and abroad since 2010. They have performed at some of the world’s most renowned festivals, including the DIGA DIGA DOO Festival in Bangkok, the Royal Jazz Fest in Bahrain, Hep Cat’s Holiday in the UK, the Bansko International Jazz Festival in Bulgaria, and the Summer Jamboree in Italy, among many others.
They have shared the stage with acclaimed artists such as Parov Stelar, Raul Midón, Ray Collins, Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, and Hillbilly Moon Explosion. One of their most notable appearances was at the wedding of Oscar-winning actress Jessica Chastain.
In 2012, they released their first EP, Bathtub Gin, which featured the standout tracks Bright Lights Late Nights and Black Swamp Village—the latter winning an award at the International Songwriting Competition (ISC). Three years later, their LP Land of Plenty presented ten songs in swinging rhythms of Swing, Jazz, Blues, and Dixieland. In 2019, they released the single Walkin’ Away Blues accompanied by a music video, followed by the 2020 LP Uproaring Twenties, created during the pandemic. In December 2021, they embraced the holiday spirit with the festive EP Doing Some Christmas Caroling.
Most recently, they participated in the Athens & Epidaurus Festival, performing in the theatrical production Homesickness Blues, directed by Akillas Karazisis with musical arrangements by Kostas Vomvolos.
Kessoncoda
UK
Kessoncoda, from West London, is a duo consisting of drummer Tom Sunney and pianist Filip Sowa.
​
Moving seamlessly between acoustic tradition and electronica, they craft a distinctive sound built on melodic piano ostinatos and steady, dynamic drumming.
Drawing inspiration from a wide range of musical genres, they incorporate elements of rock, electronica, ambient, breakbeat, and film music, while citing influences such as Squarepusher, Radiohead, and Clark. All these influences converge in their unique creative space—a small studio shed at the bottom of Tom’s garden.
​
Like fellow past and present collaborators of Gondwana Records, such as GoGo Penguin and Portico Quartet, Kessoncoda’s music possesses a strong cinematic quality. Through shifting themes and moods, their sound unfolds like a flowing narrative, where striking melodic peaks emerge and build toward an exhilarating musical climax.
Sunday, June 1, 2025 Seaside Promenade, 8:30 p.m.
Jazz Ensemble of the Music School of Arta
Greece
The Jazz Ensemble of the Music School of Arta seeks to connect jazz with rock, presenting original arrangements of compositions from the broader jazz repertoire and beyond.
​
Michalis Karamichalis – trombone
Viktoria Manifava – flute
Giorgos Anagnostakis – guitar
Dimitra Manifava – guitar
Artemis Papakostopoulou – bass
Chrysoula Papathanasiou – bass
Spyros Merkouris – drums
Giorgos Kaskoutis – percussion
Supervisor: Christos Balaouras
Svante Söderqvist Trio
Σουηδία
Svante Söderqvist – bass, cello
Adam Forkelid – piano
Calle Rasmusson – drums/percussion
​
Bassist and cellist Svante Söderqvist is regarded as one of Sweden’s leading jazz bassists for over 20 years. He has collaborated with numerous distinguished Swedish jazz artists, including Nils Landgren, Rigmor Gustafsson, and Magnus Lindgren, while also being an active member of renowned Swedish traditional music ensembles and participating in various classical groups.
​
In 2018, the Svante Söderqvist Trio was formed, marking the first time Söderqvist took a leadership role in a musical ensemble. The familiar jazz piano trio format is expanded, as he plays both double bass and cello, while using his voice for melodic lines—either in unison or in polyphonic harmonies—broadening the trio’s expressive palette.
​
The use of classical bowing techniques on both cello and double bass produces a rich sound, creating a unique connection between the worlds of jazz and chamber music. The trio’s music is primarily based on Söderqvist’s compositions, characterized by melody and strong rhythmic structures, with influences from Swedish folk and classical music, always rooted in jazz.
Adam Forkelid (piano) and Calle Rasmusson (drums/percussion) contribute their own distinctive musical imprint through skill and expressiveness, making the trio a highly original and innovative ensemble.
ΗΜΕΡΟΛΟΓΙΟ
The musicians performing are:
Kallistratos Drakopoulos – drums
Maximos Drakos – piano
Giotis Kiourtsoglou – bass
and Giorgos Korres.
​
The songs are performed by Christos Thivaios.
​
"A “Song Diary” by Christos Thivaios" – a performance featuring songs he has been seeking for years.
​
It includes his favorite songs, influential tracks, unexpected discoveries, as well as selections from his own discography.
​
Maximos Drakos, Kallistratos Drakopoulos, Giotis Kiourtsoglou, and Giorgos Korres, who have collaborated with Christos Thivaios over the years, direct and shape the performance “Song Diary”.