Yiotis Kiourtsoglou - "Hapopsis" {Greece} [2005] (ethno jazz fusion)

Yiotis Kiourtsoglou was born in Kozani(Greece) in 1965. He started practicing guitar in 1981. His first influences were traditional, rock and soul music. In 1983 he turned to electric bass and started listening to jazz. He also studied Jazz Harmony and Theory with Theo Kapilidis. Along with Theo and Nikos Kapilidis, they created the "Electric jazz trio". In 1988 he attended the "Musicians Institute" of Los Angeles where he was taught the electric bass technique by great teachers such as Gary Willis, Bob Magnuson and Jeff Berlin. He also performed live in many clubs in L.A. While living in America he had the chance to watch great musicians and to appreciate their music, their technique and their philosophy of life and of the relationship between life and music. In 1989 he graduated from the M.I. and was awarded as "The most improved student of the year" while he was nominated as "The most outstanding player". When he returned to Greece he performed with "Electric jazz Trio" in the jazz club Mantato in Thessalonica with the saxophone Manny Boyd and the trumpet player Danny Hayes. He recorded with them two albums, one with jazz standards and one with arrangements of Theo Kapilidis. In 1993 he records with the guitarist Lior Yekutielli from Israel and drummer Mark Halbheer from Switzerland. During that period, he performed live in various clubs in Greece and Europe along with Elli Paspala and David Lynch. In 1996 along with the guitarist Kostas Baltazanis and the drummerPetros Kourtis they created the "Iasis" trio and a same titled record.
At the same period he co-operates with David Lynch and Stavros Lantsias, who all formed the "Human Touch" band. The result of this collaboration was an album in 1998. This album is the result of their internal quest, a beautiful combination of modern technique, while sticking to tradition. He also works with many Greek and foreign artists in recording albums and in live performances. In 2003 he collaborates for one live show in Thessaloniki with the world known drummer Billy Cobham. After that he appears with Human Touch in many live shows in Greek and abroad, where they played their music in festivals and shows next to some of the greatest musicians of the world's scene. Their new album "Movin' " was recorded in February 2004. The first personal album of Yiotis Kiourtsoglou was produced in 2005,fifteen tracks and an arrangement of the song "Coffee" by Orfeas Perides (with Orfeas participating at the vocals), compose the musical landscape of the album. Funk and jazz music. Sound with the vivid colour of the Balkans. The most important musicians of the Greek and Balkan jazz-world scene joined to play together. Rich and surprising arrangements. Apart from the bass which, as expected, takes first place, the wind instruments (saxophone, trombone, flute, nay, kaval, duduk) play a central role and enhance with their colour most of the tracks.Yiotis Kiourtsoglou and the significant musicians who participate, have played music full of intensity, passion and life. This vividness is imprinted in the recording. The listener feels that he is present at the time when the music was played live.'Hapopsis' in Greek means 'aspect' or 'point of view'. Every track is an 'aspect' of the album's musical microcosm, but, at the same time, every listener will have a different 'point of view' of the album itself.
review and info taken from http://www.yiotiskiourtsoglou.gr/

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