20th Paradise Jazz Festival

We would like to welcome you to the 20th Anniversary of Paradise Jazz Festival which will take place at Val’s Place in Gialia Village, Paphos, on Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th of August 2019.

For this year due to the 20th Anniversary on one side, and to manage to cover the creative activities of jazz musicians in Cyprus on the other side, we have included 6 shows on our program {3 every night} plus 2 extra jam sessions with special guests. In total, we will present 27 artists up to now and there will be a few more coming.

We will start on Friday 23rd and on 9.30pm with The Amalgamation Choir, a project that is consists of all-women and is created and conducted by Vasiliki Anastasiou. Their repertoire draws influences from the musical traditions of shores around and islands floating in the Mediterranean Sea. Strong elements of the therapeutic acapella group singing and polyphony are balanced out by thoughtful instrumentations and arrangements of sea folk songs and original compositions in different languages.
The choir will friendly frame well known members of Cyprus Jazz Musicians

The next band on Friday night, time 10.30pm, is the Michalis Messios Symmetry Band which is perhaps the oldest figures of the jazz scene in Cyprus. First appeared in 1993 with the name Petsteppers and later renamed M. Symmetry Messios Band and presents mostly original compositions of Michalis Messios. The other three members of the band are Charis Ioannou on saxophone, Christos Yerolatsitis on piano and Ioannis Vafeas on drums. The artists are among the most active and dedicated musicians with notable participation in festivals in Cyprus and abroad, international jazz clubs, recordings, personal albums, theatrical performances and of course countless appearances at various venues and events in the island. The band presents mostly Michalis compositions characterized both tunefulness and the intensely rhythmic patterns and improvisation parts. (See full Interview)

Last on Friday’s official program, on 11.30pm, will be is a project created by Cyprus- based guitarist and composer, Odysseas Toumazou. He recently completed the recording of his first studio length album “Ensticto”. His work has been described as, “truly authentic and strong, personal sound within the guitar-trio-genre.” His influences are wide and include jazz, classical and traditional music that create a unique sound catering to a variety of audiences. Improvisation is a key element of Odysseas’ music, allowing for an immersive experience between the audience and band during performances, that can be described as accessible and simultaneously experimental.
At Paradise Jazz Festival Odysseas Toumazou will be performing original pieces inspired by the traditional sounds of the island. The defining improv and jazz qualities mingled with Mediterranean influences is what can best characterize this fusion of sound. The artist is accompanied by George Koulas on drums and Andreas Rodosthenous on electric bass and featuring guest Michalis Kouloumis on Violin.

The night will end with our traditional Jam Session, where the Cyprus Jazz Musicians will mix together in an improvised mood and in more unrestricted forms.

On Saturday the 24th the night will start on 9.30pm., with Nikos Charalambous Trio which is based on original compositions from Nikos, and a few cover songs from the Jazz, Pop/Rock world. The sound belongs in the modern jazz idiom and expresses a balance between strong rhythmical ideas and beautiful melodies combined with strange soundscapes and dreamy atmospheres. Nikos Charalambous is on guitar and compositions, Marijn Roeland Van de Ven is on double bass and Omiros Miltiadous is on drums.

We will continue on 10.30pm, with the Alexis Kasinos Quartet which will be participating in the Paradise Jazz Festival presenting original compositions of the recently released Alexis’ debut album Right Place, Right Time. Having jazz as a basis, the pieces of the album are also influenced from a modern era including a variety of rhythms that set to each composition a certain mood. Every single melody of the recording tells a different story that can be developed in the fantasy of the listener. The band members are Alexis Kasinos on guitar and compositions, Andreas Panteli on piano, Cahit Kutrafali on electric bass and Stelios Xydias on drums.

We kept for last as the highlight of 20th PJFestival the Trio Misteriozo who will welcome in Cyprus and on our festival, one of the most well-known Dutch jazz musicians, the pianist, educator, composer/ arranger Rob van Bavel Rob had won several significant awards, he had released more than 200 CDs as a sideman or as a leader, and he is playing regularly with famous artists. The Trio Misteriozo is conceded by three of the most active members of Cyprus Jazz Musicians and of course of PJFestival history. Is Ermis Michail on guitar, Giorgos Koulas on drums, and Andreas Rodosthenous on electric bass.

The night and the festival will end with one more of these famous Jam Sessions from all of Cyprus Jazz Musicians who will be around, to celebrate with us this wonderful jazz meeting.

We thank them all, musicians and generally all the people who supporting us, for sharing the jazz times with us!

Because of this year’s bigger production and the limited place for audience sits we set the price of the admission at €15 per night while the children under 14 years old have free entrance.
You will be able to purchase your tickets only at the door the night of the event but you can do your bookings via email, Facebook, or text on 97 747 327.

There will also be food and drinks available during the festival weekend. more info soon…

Don’t drink and drive – we have enough mess. Choose Free camping for the night. There will be operating showers, and coffee, tea, juices for the morning. Bar opens all day. Gate 8 pm.

On this point, we would like to thank all our supporters, sponsors and our fantastic audience who without their psychological help and financial contribution in these difficult times, our festival would no longer exist.
Another great thank you goes to all volunteers who each one of them is helping us with their own way to organize this event on its finest way. Their help is touching our heart and is boosting our creativity.