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DIMITAR LIOLEV - Eastern Shadows

SLAM CD 581

Dimitar Liolev – Alto Sax; Martin Tashev – Trumpet, Flugelhorn and Voice; Massimiliano Rolff - Double Bass; Dimitar Semov - Drums
Recorded in Sofia, Bulgaria, 31st May 2015

The contemporary approach to jazz improvisation is as energetic as ever in Eastern Europe and is clearly heard in this new release on SLAM. Liolev’s band has an exceptional, crossover process at its heart in mixing Balkan/Bulgarian folk music’s rhythms and sounds with all of the demanding elements of modern jazz language.

The cultural legacy of forceful, Balkan tempos draws considerable dynamism from this group of talented musicians and this results in a truly avantgarde and indescribably creative music. At the same time there is an overall richness to the music to which no doubt the flugelhorn contributes: the warmth of execution too results from this and from the compactness of the interchanges between the four musicians. Excellent album from a fairly new band on the Eastern block.

Reviewed by Ken Cheetham

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ECM celebrates 50 years of music production with the Touchstones series of re-issues