Joel Lyssarides & Georgios Prokopiou - Arcs and Rivers
J
ACT
The combination of piano and a plucked instrument can produce surprising blends of tone in the right hands. I've been listening to the wonderful banjo/piano duets of Bela Fleck and Chick Corea, also the mandolin/piano work of Chris Thile and Brad Meldau, and the superb recent album for the same instruments by Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Hamilton de Holanda.
Pairing bouzouki and piano in a jazz context is new to me but it works brilliantly here. Bouzouki has a relatively metallic sound for a lute descendant and playing styles are often characterised by fast runs. It also enable slides and vibrato, not so easy to do on banjo or mandolin. This album both celebrates the instrument's Greek heritage and opens up exciting new musical territory.
Pianist Joel Lyssarides is from Stockholm but has Greek ancestry and began exploring bouzouki music in depth during lockdown. Georgios Prokopiou, originally from Athens but now living in Stockholm, began playing bouzouki at the age of six and made his concert debut at the age of eight. Both players conjure a wide dynamic and tonal range from their instruments. Even more impressive is their "tight but loose" rhythmic coordination.
"Echoes" by Lyssarides is a floating, impressionistic composition which develops into a lyrical bouzouki improvisation. The vivid but reverberant sound works perfectly here. "Orange moon" is also by Lyssarides, built around an arpeggio pattern for both instruments in unison, which continues in the background as each player improvises around the shifting harmony.
"From East to West" by Prokopiou has an energetic theme exploring Greek modes, begins with a drone then builds to several exciting climaxes with very fast runs on bouzouki and ragtime syncopation on piano. "Zafeirious solo" explores a typical bouzouki style two-step by Stelios Zafeiriou, speeding up gradually before moments of calm then more carnage. Recorded live with an enthusiastic crowd, this shows the virtuosity of the duo in three crisp minutes.
"Kamilieriko Road" is again drone based, exploring and developing a traditional Greek tune. "Anamnesis" features wonderful unison playing of a sinuous melody, spiced with expressive ornamentation on the bouzouki. Even better is "A Night in Piraeus" with its fast ostinatos, tremolando plucking and "spy theme" atmosphere building up an irresistible energy.
This album combines dazzling virtuosity with expressive playing, interesting new compositions and some inspired improvisation. The warm harmonies and strong melodies combine to create something very special.
© Stephen Godsall
