Pantelis Stoikos he's not just any trumpet player. Born in Florina, northern Greece, he is considered one of the most creative musicians on the scene Balkan World Jazz. His Like Quartet it is the formation with which he explores the thin border between radical improvisation and the complex rhythmic structures of his land.
The Formation (Live @ AMS Studios / HXO Jazz)
Although the lineups may vary slightly, the beating heart of the "Like Quartet" in the most recent live videos (such as those recorded at AMS Studios in Thessaloniki) features:
- Pantelis Stoikos: Trumpet, keyboards and compositions.
- Lachish Tzimkas: Electric bass (a mainstay of Greek jazz).
- George Athanasiou: Electric violin.
- Giorgos Klountzos-Chrysidis: Drums.
"Brass Kioutsek 9/8" or "Oxymoro Schema"
Stoikos uses the trumpet not as a "heroic" instrument a la Miles Davis, but as a folk wind instrument (similar to the kaval or at zurna). His technique involves microtones and glissades that imitate the human voice or the crying of the violin.
The Rhythm: 9/8 is not an "intellectual" odd time, it is a visceral beat, typical of Macedonian dances, which the quartet transforms into a very tight funk groove.
Influences: A Multicultural DNA
To position your article well, you must mention the currents that Stoikos blends in his style:
- The Legacy of Ivo Papasov: Stoikos studied with the legendary Bulgarian clarinetist Papasov. From him he inherited the idea of "rebirth of tradition through the spirit of jazz".
- Balkan Brass & Microtonality: The stairs used (Makams) derive from the Ottoman and Byzantine tradition. Stoikos manages to play these scales on a modern trumpet, a monumental technical feat.
- Electric Jazz and Fusion: The use of the electric bass and the processed violin recalls the atmospheres of Weather Report or the electrical period of Jean-Luc Ponty, but with a much dustier and older land underfoot.
- Avant-garde World Music: There is an aesthetic connection with artists like Theodosii Spassov (the king of the Bulgarian kaval), with whom Stoikos often collaborated.
Stoikos not only plays the trumpet, but often also the kaval flute and the floor, bringing a polyphonic vision to his music. This explains why his quartet arrangements are so layered and rich in texture.
While American jazz is often based on the blues, Pantelis Stoikos' jazz is based on 'Kaimos' — that Greek feeling of deep melancholy and longing that transforms into liberating dance.