Pandelis Karayorgis/ George Kokkinaris –Out from Athens (Driff Records, 2024)

By Fotis Nikolakopoulos

Another important release from Karayorgis and Jorrit Dijkstra’s Driff Records and, especially, for the Athenian scene (if there’s such an existence…) as here, on this release, pianist Karayorgis collaborates with Greek double bassist George Kokkinaris.

Out from Athens is partly composed and partly improvised, favoriting a very common way, among Athenian improvisers, right now. Probably not only Athenian’s I guess. All thirteen tracks of the album reveal a pop sensibility with titles that are quite vocal about them and durations around the four minute mark.

But above all, it is the way they both approach their material that made me think like that. Maybe the “pop” element has to do with their struggle to share a common language on how to present their ideas. Sometimes, while trying to find resemblances, you rely on shared experiences, ideas and views.

Leaving the troubled term “pop” behind, as Out of Athens can easily be described as a jazz duo, both musicians bring ideas on how to act and react. Recorded late last summer in Athens, as nowadays the Athenian summers have become extremely hot, Out of Athens is energetic and playful hosting a contact flow of ideas and interactions.

Karayorgis’ piano playing is quite playful as it is humble, leaving so much room for Kokkinaris to approach the double bass in an experimental fashion. If you ask me, on a personal level, what exactly this could be, I would say that he is exploring the numerous ways that the double bassist could be used as a sound source. Having seen him live I can assure you, the reader, that he tries to achieve this quite successfully.

Points of reference for Out of Athens are tracks, like the short one 'Bumpy,' where Karayorgis piano opens up in a frenetic mood, with fingers going up and down the keyboard in an energetic free jazz race. As much as a collaborator, Karayorgis can also lead, even though leading is not first on the agenda for this CD on all tracks.

Playing with moods, they playfully create a path of non-hierarchical interaction. They listen to each other, act, react, but, most of all, understand and leave room for one another. Returning to this notion of pop, maybe it is about that, this CD, apart from good music, it is a very enjoyably listen.

Listen here:

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