PAVLOS COMBO
(Greek tradition, stimuli and improvisation)

The famous composer, conductor, folklore researcher and jazz pianist Pavlos Tsakalidis created this group in Thessaloniki, in 1997. The basic idea behind the formation of this group was the need to express the Greek music tradition, enriched with modern music elements, such as the classical pattern, the jazz harmonisation and the improvisation, lead in to new music paths that would not ignore the past, but would still be innovations. The combination of the piano, the contrabass and drums with Greek traditional instruments such as proof of the kind of expression described above.

Originally, the group consisted of Pavlos Tsakalidis (piano), Christos Vasiliadis(violin), Dimitris Mystakidis (contrabass, lute)and in some performances Babis Tokanidis (percussion instruments). With this line up the group appeared in various concert halls in Thessaloniki and Chalkidiki. After two years, radical changes took place among the group members. Through the combination of two important musicians in the area of the Greek jazz music scene, Dimitris Gaoumperitsis (contrabass)and Nikos Fountoukidis (drums and percussion instruments)with the piano, a strong accompanying team with excellent improvisation abilities was formed. The Greek traditional instruments were represented by the following well-known musicians in the area of our music tradition: Dimitris Mystakidis (lute, soubous)and Philippos Kesapidis (Pontos lyre). Later, the musician Mihalis Piperkos (flute, klarinet), experienced in various kinds of music, joined the group.

The sound of the new group creates new horizons and after a series of concerts in the most well known music jalls of Thessaloniki, such us the AUT, the Milos Club, the Idrogios, etc, the group will perform in Athens and Chalkidiki as well. Articles and reviews on various newspapers and magazines as well as the expert opinions reveal that a wide audience is highly receptive to the "Pavlos Combo's"music. After two years of cooperation and having gained the team spirit in the process of music patterns and improvisation a new group is created which is a real "human junction". A part of this attempt consisted the basis for the first CD recording.

In the various concerts excellent musicians appear with the "Combo" such as Vasilis Kasouras (lute), Efthimis Tsakiris (flute, clarinet), Manolis Hatzimanolis (vocals, trumpet)and Kyriakos Gouventas (violin). The last two participated in the CD as well. "Pavlos Combo"derives its ideas from the already known music styles creating the impression that it combines elements of all of them without following a single one or attempting to substitute it.

The combo's music is a kind of modern art through which, in the light of the sound of the new millennium, an attempt to regenerate Greek tradition with modern music codes takes place.

Savas Mavridis Thessaloniki, Spring 2001

THE PAVLOS COMBO'S BASIC IDEAS

The name of the group "Pavlos' Combo" itself indirectly introduces to its philosophy in various ways. Firstly, the use of two languages in its name (English and Greek) immediately leads somebody to think that it is about a combination. Specifically: Pavlos –the combo creator's first name and Combo(from a combination) – a group that consists of three, up to then people (jazz terminology). Moreover the world Combo reminds of the Greek word κόμβος [komvos] –that means junction and consists the hidden message of the name: the combo's force comes from the combination of the technical means and the contribution of the group's members, that constitute a "creative human junction (combo)".

The group's basic ideas revolve around the following three concepts: Greek tradition, stimuli and improvisation. Greek tradition is of course the corner stone with the rest following as an inseparable and very important part of all the world cultures. This CD processes the Greek tradition coming of various places: Sterea Ellada (Kalamatiano), Island Greece – Crete(Haniotiko), Black Sea – Pontos(Xanthon Korits [=Blond Girl], Tromachton, Trygona), stimouli from Ancient Greek Music(Mimisi tis paradosis [=Immitation of tradition], Pavlos' Combo) and Byzantine Music(Thee mou, Thee mou, s' agapo [=My God, my God i love you].

The Combo's aims to promote Greek tradition through modern kinds of arts and to contribute to the regeneration of the young people's interest – in Greece and abroad – in Greek cultural origins upon which the whole modern civilization was built. Besides traditional instruments such as the Pontos lyre, the lute and various percussion instruments (daoulli, bendir, tumberleki) in non-traditional forms of art takes places for the first time worldly. The combination of the basic types of music art such as classical, traditional and jazz in a unity offers the Greek tradition a new dimension and another aesthetic perception. Through this new form of art an attempt to built a cultural bridge between the past and the future is made.

• The main objective of "Pavlos' Combo" is the communication with our tradition through modern music codes but always with honest love and admiration.
• The Greek Tradition does not stop surprising with its discoveries, helping us become better and providing the stimuli to create.