Born: October 21, 1961 Primary Instrument: Saxophone
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!“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
“Dimitri Vassilakis uses the warmth of his Greek spirit to inform a command of the jazz language, with a series of great Candid recordings to his name.” London Jazz Festival
“Jazz among the Greek Gods…Dimitri Vassilakis brings fresh, organic and energized music to the Smithsonian.” Natural History Museum Washington DC
“Vassilakis is a consistently interesting and often very impressive player…conjures amazing depths of color and harmonic resonance from his group… filtered through a unique imagination and delivered by a powerfully individual voice.” The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD 7th edition
“His timbre is soaked in thick, slow harmonic molasses…” One Way Magazine LA
“Leader Vassilakis’s compositions offer a perfect platform for post-modern expression…whiz-kid tenor player from Greece…post-Coltrane, post-Rollins style…high-energy and immensely fluid…overall, euphorically dizzying.” “Live at Birdland” “New York Press”
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Primary Instrument:
Saxophone
Location:
Athens
Willing to teach:
Advanced students 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. 5, 7, 9 11, 13, etc.) time signatures, to form well-
organized musical structures that can sustain controlled
variation within a broad range of swing, flow, and groove feels.
Parts will be made out for a variety of instruments and
students will be guided in their performance of and
improvisation over originals and well-known standards in
different time signatures and grooves.
2) Greek and other Balkan scales, modes, and tuning
approaches and how they can be used to enhance and enrich
modal improvisation.
Thematic development will touch upon known forms (e.g.
sonata, cyclic forms, etc) and will extend to short motif
development, especially useful in building jazz solos.
Concepts of symmetry and varied repetition and aspects of
acoustics and perception will be formally addressed to
enhance the students’ understanding of structural and sonic
harmony. Recorded examples by Sonny Rollins, John
Coltrane, and others will serve as guides for the students’
improvisational efforts.
Work on polyrhythmic development will also include
integration of a swing feel to a large variety of grooves and
simultaneous unfolding of layered time signatures. We will also
touch upon different degrees of swing, time feel, and time
modulation.
The technique of circular breathing will be illustrated in
harmonic and melodic contexts and will be approached as a
tool to support melodic/harmonic integrity and development,
while scatting and vocalizing will be explored for the ways
they can help unlock hidden melodic potentials for the jazz
instrumentalist.
EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS: Fully equipped rehearsal
room, studio, or concert hall including minimum sound system
to cover vocal or instrumental microphones, drum kit, piano or
keyboard, bass and guitar amps, CD player, and a PC/MAC
computer projection set-up.
