Tora Collective, by Petros Klampanis, Areti Ketime, Thomas Konstantinou, Ziv Ravitz, Kristjan Randalu, Giorgos Kotsinis

Tora Collective

by Petros Klampanis, Areti Ketime, Thomas Konstantinou, Ziv Ravitz, Kristjan Randalu, Giorgos Kotsinis

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espjazz I'm so glad there is music like this in the world. It is sophisticated and full of hope. Favorite track: Enteka.

John Angus Uplifting and soothing at the same time. All of Petros Klampanis’ music is worth investing in.

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Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
"Best Traditional Ethnic Music" prize in the quarterly German Record Critics' Awards.

The bringing together of Grecian and other international folk and jazz talents succeeds with aplomb, thanks to the sensitive craftsmanship of all the artists and their informed authenticity as they treat these traditional songs with just the right balance of respect and innovation. - 4/5 ★★★★ DOWNBEAT / Gary Fukushima

Klampanis blends melodies and themes from Greek folklore with contemporary jazz, executing them with perfect nuance and balance. - 4/5 ★★★★ JAZZTHETIK / Andreas Ebert

What we have here is a “folk” jazz album of rare quality. - Fontas Troussas / Lifo, GR

Exciting. - 4.5/5 ★★★★✬ audio.de, DE

Emotionally rich, nuanced and transparent. - Roland Spiegel / BR Klassik, DE

Remarkably graceful and very physical music. - Kondrad Bott / SWR Kultur, DE

This album is an example of how high-quality and valuable music can be made accessible. - Jazzfun, DE

The result is a fresh and exciting musical fusion that bridges the gap between the old and the new, and showcases Klampanis' exceptional musicianship and creativity. - JazzThing

Includes unlimited streaming of Tora Collective via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more. ... more

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Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Tora Collective, Regarding the Moon, With Marco, Tettix (Original Soundtrack), Rooftop Stories, Erotiko, 'Retrograde' by Petros Klampanis, feat. Katerine Duska, Coração Vagabundo, and 4 more. , and , .

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1.	Tora 01:57	info	buy track
2.	Enteka 04:17		buy track
3.	Disoriented 06:06		buy track
4.	Xehorismata 06:33		buy track
5.	South by Southeast 06:48		buy track
6.	Menexedes kai Zouboulia 05:26		buy track
7.	Hariklaki 04:39		buy track
8.	Sibethera 04:54		buy track
9.	Osmadakas 05:56		buy track
10.	Milo Mou kai Mantarini 04:06		buy track

about

BASSIST/COMPOSER PETROS KLAMPANIS LOOKS TO PAST AND FUTURE AS HE TRANSFORMS TRADITIONAL GREEK MUSIC WITH TORA COLLECTIVE

Unique instrumentation bridges Greek folkloric and modern jazz worlds, with Klampanis (bass, artistic direction), Areti Ketime (vocals), Thomas Konstantinou (oud, laouto), Giorgos Kotsinis (clarinet), Kristjan Randalu (piano), Ziv Ravitz (drums, electronics, co-production) and more.

Following up his acclaimed recent outings Rooftop Stories and Irrationalities, bassist and composer Petros Klampanis creates one of his most inventive musical settings to date with Tora Collective, his sixth album as a leader. For Klampanis, who grew up in Athens, Greece
surrounded by the confluence of Mediterranean and Balkan folk cultures, making music has always meant navigating cultural crossroads. With Tora Collective (“Tora”=“Now”) he puts traditional Greek music at the centre, even as he presents it from a bold new angle.

In addition to the two new originals “Disoriented” and “South By Southeast,” Klampanis and his compact hybrid jazz/Greek folk ensemble interpret popular Greek songs such as “Xehorismata,” “Sybethera,” “Hariklaki” and “Menexedes ke Zoumboulia.” These songs, Klampanis asserts, are “not just part of Greek cultural heritage or a fragment of the past, but also as part of the future: they live into the present, breathe into the ‘here and now,’ while constantly evolving in a dynamic state and in dialogue with contemporary music.”

“For me it’s a personal thing,” he says. “I want to reflect on what Greek music and culture offer the world. How can music from the Aegean to Epirus and from the Ionian Islands to Crete, meet and speak to the hearts and minds of musicians and audiences from different parts of the world, different traditions and backgrounds?”

To that end, Tora Collective draws on regional characteristics, as Klampanis explains: “Every region has a strong identity. In Epirus the clarinet is more prominent and the music has this slow, groovy, meditative vibe. The islands are lighter sounding, Macedonia is groovier, faster tempos and energetic dances. Music from Asia Minor or Istanbul is more sophisticated. Greeks often refer to Istanbul as ‘Poli,’ from Constantinopoli, so the songs from there are called ‘Politika.’”

There is magic in the clear and consistent voice of Areti Ketime throughout Tora Collective, as can also be said for the supremely voice-like articulation of Giorgos Kotsinis on clarinet. Ziv Ravitz, on drums and electronics, also plays a pivotal role as coproducer: “He added so much in the orchestration,” says Klampanis. “His knowledge of electronics, all these non-acoustic sounds and keyboards, treatments of the acoustic instruments, it’s all because of Ziv. He brought a new perspective on the whole thing.”

The string element in Tora Collective is also strong: in addition to Klampanis’ bass there is Thomas Konstantinou on oud and the traditional Greek laouto, as well as Kristjan Randalu (the pianist in Klampanis’ Irrationalities trio) providing an anchor and bringing Klampanis’ inventive arrangements into harmonic focus. Additional guests appear: Alexandros Arkadopoulos on clarinet for “Disoriented,” Laura Robles on percussion for “South by Southeast” and trumpeters Sebastian Studnitzky and Andreas Polyzogopoulos on “Milo Mou ke Mandarini” and “Hariklaki,” respectively. (“Milo Mou” is slated as a post-release bonus track.)

Using traditional Greek music to discover a common new voice, the project aims to build dialogue, spark creativity, cultivate respect for the past, pave a path forward, discover a new musical storytelling powerful enough to reach and touch audiences in many countries. This is an experiment that bridges worlds: the east and the west, the traditional and the modern, the nostalgic and the forward-looking, using the power of music and improvisation.

credits

released February 24, 2023

Areti Ketime - voice
Giorgos Kotsinis - clarinet
Thomas Konstantinou - oud
Kristjan Randalu - piano
Petros Klampanis - bass
Ziv Ravitz - drums

Special Guests:
Laura Robles - percussion
Sebastian Studnitzky - trumpet
Andreas Polyzogopoulos - trumpet
Alexandros Arkadopoulos - clarinet

Produced by Petros Klampanis & Ziv Ravitz
Recorded by George Kariotis at Sierra Recording Studios, Athens
Mastered by Christoph Stickel

Cover Photo by Yannis Bournias
Doily created circa 1950 by Anastasia Liveri
Cover by Rédsky Design

Releasing by Enja Records

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about

Petros Klampanis New York, New York

NAMED A “BASS ACE” by Bass Player Magazine, awarded bassist, composer and producer Petros Klampanis grew up in Greece, surrounded by the confluence of Mediterranean and Balkan folk music. Now based in NYC, he is curious in his approach, always seeking unique ways to integrate elements from multiple genres, ranging from classical music to pop. ... more

petrosklampanis.com

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Tora Collective

by Petros Klampanis, Areti Ketime, Thomas Konstantinou, Ziv Ravitz, Kristjan Randalu, Giorgos Kotsinis

Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

$35 USD or more

Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

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Streaming + Download

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Full Digital Discography

$67.94 USD or more (20% OFF)

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Tora Collective

by Petros Klampanis, Areti Ketime, Thomas Konstantinou, Ziv Ravitz, Kristjan Randalu, Giorgos Kotsinis

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