site.btaBulgarian-Greek Jazz Quintet Balkan Surprise to Perform in Sofia

The Bulgarian-Greek jazz quintet Balkan Surprise will perform in Sofia together with the Big Band of the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) under the baton of Antoni Donchev on February 26, the organizers said on Wednesday. The concert will take place at BNR's Studio 1.

Balkan Surprise brings together some of the most prominent musicians from Bulgaria and Greece in a joint international project dedicated to contemporary jazz with a Balkan identity. The ensemble’s name comes from a musical piece composed by Vasil Spassov and Mihail Yossifov.

They are joined by Greek trombonist Antonis Andreou, Kimon Karoutzos on the double bass, and Alex-Drakos Ktistakis on the drums.

The quintet interprets Balkan musical traditions through the language of modern jazz, combining characteristic rhythms and melodic structures with contemporary orchestral thinking. Critics note that its sound is marked by artistic coherence, stylistic precision and respect for established genre examples, while offering a fresh and contemporary perspective.

The premiere of Balkan Surprise’s original compositions, specially arranged for big band, took place on February 11 at a sold-out concert at the Olympia City Music Theatre Maria Callas in Athens with the Athens Big Band. A day before the Sofia concert, the quintet will perform at the Jazz Insights club in Plovdiv, South Central Bulgaria.