SOKRATIS SINOPOULOS QUARTET - Eight Winds
ECM 470 9408
Sokratis Sinopoulos (lyra); Yann Keerim (piano); Dimitris Tsekouras (bass); Dimitris Emanouil (drums)
Recorded April 2014
Sokratis Sinopoulos has a distinguished pedigree with ECM having been heard with Charles Lloyd and Maria Farantouri on Athens Concert and several recordings with Eleni Karaindrou including Medea which has been reviewed elsewhere in these pages, so do we really need another album featuring an instrument that would not even get a mention in the 'miscellaneous instruments' category in most jazz publications? Well when the resulting music is as good as this, the answer is a definite yes.
As a traditional Greek instrument and popular as a folk instrument, the lyra is played bowed like a violin with the musicians often holding it in an upright position. The lyra, unlike the western violin only has three strings, and again this criteria make it an unusual choice to front a jazz quartet, and it no little credit that he pulls this off with such aplomb.
In an approach that extremely lyrical, Sinopoulos makes the lyra speak in a way that communicates it an immediate and very appealing manner. The music is tightly focussed, with the emphasis placed on the expressiveness of the lyra and the strength of the melodic line. As the melodies draw the ear, it is then that the quartet as a whole can be heard and evaluated, with the rhythm section supporting the lead voice with a lithe suppleness that propels the music on it's gentle journey.
The compactness of the music is evident in the playing time, with all of the 12 tracks under the six minute mark. The is no need for showboating or extravagant solos when the compositions speak for themselves. "21st March" and the title track each appear twice as 'variations', and quickly become welcome and familiar friends to be re-acquainted with, as opposed to be merely being repeated to mark time in this highly recommended set.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
ECM 470 9408
Sokratis Sinopoulos (lyra); Yann Keerim (piano); Dimitris Tsekouras (bass); Dimitris Emanouil (drums)
Recorded April 2014
Sokratis Sinopoulos has a distinguished pedigree with ECM having been heard with Charles Lloyd and Maria Farantouri on Athens Concert and several recordings with Eleni Karaindrou including Medea which has been reviewed elsewhere in these pages, so do we really need another album featuring an instrument that would not even get a mention in the 'miscellaneous instruments' category in most jazz publications? Well when the resulting music is as good as this, the answer is a definite yes.
As a traditional Greek instrument and popular as a folk instrument, the lyra is played bowed like a violin with the musicians often holding it in an upright position. The lyra, unlike the western violin only has three strings, and again this criteria make it an unusual choice to front a jazz quartet, and it no little credit that he pulls this off with such aplomb.
In an approach that extremely lyrical, Sinopoulos makes the lyra speak in a way that communicates it an immediate and very appealing manner. The music is tightly focussed, with the emphasis placed on the expressiveness of the lyra and the strength of the melodic line. As the melodies draw the ear, it is then that the quartet as a whole can be heard and evaluated, with the rhythm section supporting the lead voice with a lithe suppleness that propels the music on it's gentle journey.
The compactness of the music is evident in the playing time, with all of the 12 tracks under the six minute mark. The is no need for showboating or extravagant solos when the compositions speak for themselves. "21st March" and the title track each appear twice as 'variations', and quickly become welcome and familiar friends to be re-acquainted with, as opposed to be merely being repeated to mark time in this highly recommended set.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
