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Dimitri Vassilakis

Dimitri Vassilakis is a celebrated award winning saxophonist/vocalist/composer/educator. Has recorded 5 albums for the historic Candid Label in London "Labyrinth" was voted 2nd jazz album of the year at the BBC Internet poll and was album of the month March 2002 for BBC Music Magazine. New album "Across The Universe" recorded in New York, with top jazzmen from all continents, is out on Candid Records 50th anniversary edition.

Has played all around the globe, notably at Birdland NY, Yale, Natural History Museum Washington DC for the Smithsonian Institute and Jazz appreciation month, Onassis Cultural Centre New York, Sweet Rhythm and Zinc New York, London Jazz Festival Royal Festival Hall, South Africa Tour and major festivals in Europe and the Balkans, while reviewers refer to him as the Greek god of jazz… Has played and recorded among others with: Jeff "Tain" Watts, Dave Liebman, Marc Johnson, Abdullah Ibrahim, Essiet Essiet, Jamie Cullum, Adam Nussbaum, Theodosii Spassov, Ralph Peterson, Andy Sheppard, Milcho Leviev, Ron Affif, Juliet Kelly.

Has performed for 2 Greek presidents and for ex US president Bill Clinton. In Greece has appeared at the Athens Festival, City Of Athens Jazz Festival, Delphic Games, Fringe Festival, Athens 2004, while concert halls & theatres include: Herodion, Lycabettus, Megaron, Pallas Theatre etc. Has presented 2 yearly series of radio and TV programs for national TV NET (Jazz Club), Radio 3 and Channel 7 (All That Jazz), plus articles and interviews at BBC Radio3 for London Jazz Festival and numerous Greek Radio and TV stations internationally. Has taught at the Athens and Macedonia Universities and has presented seminars at Queens, Skidmore, Columbia, DePaul, Royal Academy Of Music, Paris Conservatoire etc.

He endorses Bentley luxury cars and produces the 1st of a series of "Jazz For Bentley” compilation albums.

Find more at:

www.dimitriosvassilakis.com www.facebook.com/DimitriVassilakis http://twitter.com/Dimi_Trees http://dimitrivassilakis.blogspot.com/

Awards

Album of the month for the BBC Music Magazine March 2002 for Daedalus Project - Labyrinth, later voted 2nd jazz album of the year 2002 at the BBC Internet poll!

Gear

MarkVI 1957 tenor and 1961 soprano...


Tags

325
Album Review

Dimitri Vassilakis: Parallel Lines

Read "Parallel Lines" reviewed by Mark F. Turner


Parallel Lines--an album that's filled with exquisite musicianship, fire, and hard-swinging grooves--could justifiably put Greek saxophonist Dimitrios Vassilakis on the who's who list of world-class reed players. Born in Athens, Greece and living in London, he is also an educator pursing a PhD while teaching and lecturing in the Music Department at Makedonia University in Thessalonica. Vassilakis' music theory and concepts are vitalized when he is joined by drummer Jeff “Tain Watts and bassist Essiet Okon Essiet. ...

310
Album Review

Dimitri Vassilakis: Parallel Lines

Read "Parallel Lines" reviewed by Chris May


Greek saxophonist Dimitri Vassilakis' third album for Candid is a one-course, big plate feast of rugged, gruff-toned tenor saxophone and high-torque bass and drums. It swings hard from start to finish, with only the halfway point “Soul Eyes" providing a pause, and does both Vassilakis and his primary influence, Sonny Rollins, proud. It was released in Europe this past fall and will be out in the US shortly.

In his liner notes, Vassilakis cites Rollins' Freedom Suite with ...

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231

Event

Dimitri Vassilakis At The ZInc Bar "Across The Universe" Album Launch Monday June 6th at the Zinc Bar

Dimitri Vassilakis At The ZInc Bar "Across The Universe" Album Launch Monday June 6th at the Zinc Bar

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

Monday June 6th 9-11pm The Zinc Bar 82 West 3rd Street (btw Thompson & Sullivan) Greenwich Village 212-477-ZINC (9462) Also Appearing Thursday June 2nd 7-9pm Onassis Cultural Centre Atrium 645 5th Ave New York, 10019 (212) 486-4448 Dimitri Vassilakis—saxophones/vocals Jack Walrath—trumpet Theo Hill—piano Essiet Essiet—bass Sylvia Cuenca—drums Dimitri Vassilakis Across The Universe ...

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Performance / Tour

Greek Saxophonist Dimitri Vassilakis April 12th at Onassis Atrium Cafe NYC

Greek Saxophonist Dimitri Vassilakis April 12th at Onassis Atrium Cafe NYC

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

Athens, Greece--origin of democracy, birthplace of the Olympics, and the inspirational setting for tenor saxophonist, drummer, and composer Dimitri Vassilakis.

Vassilakis and his trio bring fresh, organic, and energized music to the US on Thursday, April 12th 7-9 pm.

Dimitri Vassilakis

Thursday April 12th 7-9 pm New York Onassis Atrium Cafe 5th Ave and 52nd str. Olympic Tower Free event for the young friends of the Onassis Cultural Centre

Dimitri Vassilakis: saxes, ...

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Performance / Tour

Dimitri Vassilakis Wed Apr 19th at Sweet Rhythm 8 and 10 pm. + Thurs Apr 20th at The Cutting Room 9:30 and 10:30pm.

Dimitri Vassilakis Wed Apr 19th at Sweet Rhythm 8 and 10 pm. + Thurs Apr 20th at The Cutting Room 9:30 and 10:30pm.

Source: All About Jazz

To all my friends in the US.

Dimitri Vassilakis parallel lives

Launch of the new album on Candid Records: Parallel Lines, with Jeff “Tain" Watts on drums and Essiet Okon Essiet on bass. http://www.candidrecords.com/

Wednesday April 19th at Sweet Rhythm New York, 2 sets at 8 and 10 pm. http://www.sweetrhythmny.com/index.html

Dimitri Vassilakis saxes, vocals Rex Richardson trumpet Christos Rafalides vibes Ron McClure bass Steve Johns drums

Thursday April ...

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Performance / Tour

Dimitri Vassilakis Parallel Lives in New York and Chicago

Dimitri Vassilakis Parallel Lives in New York and Chicago

Source: All About Jazz

Launch of the new album on Candid Records: parallel lines, with Jeff “Tain" Watts on drums and Essiet Okon Essiet on bass.

Wednesday April 19th at Sweet Rhythm, New York, 2 sets at 8 and 10 pm.

Dimitri Vassilakis saxes, vocals Rex Richardson trumpet Christos Rafalides vibes Ron McClure bass Steve Johns drums

Thursday April 20th at The Cutting Room, New York, 2 sets at 9:30 and 10:30pm.

Dimitri Vassilakis saxes, vocals ...

Dimitri Vassilakis press cuts:

“Dimitri has a wonderful voice especially evocative and warm on the ballads…some robust saxophone work and fine arrangements” Bruce Lundvall

“Saxophonist-vocalist Dimitri Vassilakis is a dynamic live performer. His highflying style full of impassioned lines and impeccable technique, fires his exciting new album.” London Jazz Festival

“Infinite grace poetry and passion...Dimitri Vassilakis is revered as the Hellenic God of post-modern expression. A rhapsodic stylist of immense power and authority.” BBC Music Magazine

“Vassilakis leads a groove-based trio with Essiet Essiet and Jeff “Tain” Watts...I’ve little doubt that if these three played live, it would burn…” Jazz Times NY

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Primary Instrument

Saxophone

Location

Athens

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Credentials/Background

Ph. Nakas Conservatory sax, combos, analyses, Big Band 1991-2000, Lecturer at University of Macedonia 2000-2007, Clinician at Queens, DePaul, Columbia, Monmouth, Royal Academy, Paris Conservatoire, Athens University, Aristotle University etc

Clinic/Workshop Information

DIMITRI VASSILAKIS www.dimitriosvassilakis.com JAZZ SEMINAR/WORKSHOP PROPOSAL BALKAN RHYTHMS AND MODES AND THEIR INTEGRATION INTO MODERN JAZZ • Thematic development in improvisation • Techniques for polyrhythmic development • Circular breathing • Vocal improvisation (scatting) A mix of recorded and live examples that spans a wide range of jazz literature, from the works of Max Roach, Don Ellis, and Dave Brubeck, to Balkan jazz-fusion, modern jazz, and Vassilakis’s material for the Candid label, is used to illustrate: 1) The simultaneous unfolding of multiple and asymmetric (e.g

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Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Across The Universe

Candid Records
2011

buy

Parallel Lines

Candid Records
2006

buy

Videos

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