“To Pragma” (The Thing), the jazz orchestra of the pianist Costis Christodoulou, releases its debut album, “Year of the Thing” by Trumpetfish Records.
Kostis Christodoulou grew up in Sparta, where he started to be interested in music learning rembetika, playing classical piano and participating in local rock groups. In 2001, in Athens, he made his first contact with Jazz, studying next to Stavros Lantsias. As a student of the Department of Music Studies of the Ionian University, took lessons with George Kontrafouris, Dimitris Kalantzis and Dimos Dimitriadis. In 2007 to 2008 he lived in Helsinki, Finland, where he studied piano next to Jarmo Svolainen. Since 2008, when he settled permanently in Athens, he has collaborated with the top artists in the Greek jazz scene, while, at the same time, he is a permanent collaborator of the songwriter Foivos Delivorias. In 2012 he released his first personal album «To Pragma».
Eight years after the first, self-titled release, the new Pragma’s LP features original compositions that, while based on swing and blues traditions (Charles Mingus and Duke Ellington), blends with modal sounds (Sun Ra and John Coltrane) and creates a meditational effect. This route, from New Orleans’ boogie-woogie to Far Eastern tea ceremonies, is basically a creative pursuit for happiness for both musicians and listeners.
Musicians:
Manos Theodosakis, trumpet
Dimitris Tsakas, alto saxophone
Takis Paterelis, tenor saxophone/flute
Kostas Konstantinou, contrabass
Serafim Bellos, drums
TRACKLIST:
SIDE A
Α1 GRECOFUTURISTIC JAZZ
Α2 NOMMO
Α3 BLACK HERMAN
SIDE B
Β1 FERDINAND
Β2 O
Β3 THING DYNASTY
«To Pragma – Year of the Thing» is the first release from Trumpetfish Records based in Athens founded by Angelos Angelidis in February 2020. The label is focused at releasing great and interesting projects, of all genres, supporting new ideas and creative artists.
The LP is released on May 20 on Vinyl limited to 350 copies.
Trumpetfish Records 