A world-famous saxophonist once said that a real musician is the one who is ready to leave home and start new adventures. The music we have selected for the traditional edition of Ethno-Fantasies is much more than merely leaving the cozy home atmosphere. Its authors combined different styles, means of expression, intonations, rhythms, music instruments and voices. Some of the pieces were already presented in previous editions. Others will be played for the first time.

We have been using plenty of authentic folklore and have been remodeling the pieces according to our own conception, the young musicians from ETNOTIX said. Their music combines folklore, ethno music, pop and rock music. Music Producer Asen Pavlov and celebrated rebec-player and soloist at the Bulgarian National Radio Folk Music Orchestra Angel Dobrev came up with the idea to create that music formation. Angel Dobrev is an author of most pieces in the music repertoire of ETNOTIX. The formation consists of four female rebec-players, a female folk singer, a guitar player and a percussionist. They made their first solo concert in April this year.

In 2016 celebrated British violinist Nigel Kennedy played together with rebec-player Georgi Andreev-a renowned Bulgarian composer and chief- conductor of Philip Koutev National Folklore Ensemble. Soloists Kennedy and Andreev played in Sofia and Plovdiv with the Sofia Symphonic Orchestra. They played in London with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. The London Bulgarian Choir also took part at those concerts. Bulgarian violinist Ivo Stankov came up with the idea about that interesting music project. He decided to give Nigel Kenedi CDs with Georgi Andreev’s music as a present. The virtuoso violinist had not only liked the pieces, but decided to play some of them together with Georgi Andreev.

Percussionist Boyana Trayanova chose to live and work in New Orleans, USA. She was born in Bulgaria, but grew up in the USA. Recently, Boryana discovered the beauty of the Bulgarian folklore music. She is a fan of the sophisticated rhythmic combinations and created a folklore trio together with US accordion player Matthew Schreiber and Bulgarian guitarist Georgi Petrov. The three musicians recorded a CD which is now sold in the USA. I wanted to play Bulgarian and Balkan music in New Orleans for the first time, Boryana says. She is part of the One Love Brass Band, which presented its first music album several months ago. A Bulgarian version of a piece which is traditionally part of the music repertoire of celebrated marching bands was also included in the album.

Those who know my music well are aware of the fact that I have been trying to draw the worlds of jazz and Bulgarian folklore closer, acclaimed Bulgarian saxophonist Vladimir Karparov said. At the end of 2016 he presented his new album Antihypocrisyl. It was recorded with Vladimir Karparov quartet-Stoyan Yankoulov-Stundji (Percussions), Petar Ralchev (accordion), singer Neno Iliev and rebec-player Nedyalko Nedyalkov. The piece Kopanedyalkovitsa was dedicated to Nedyalko Nedyalkov.

Englishversion: Kostadin Atanasov

The audio file features the following songs:

Ethno-Fantasies-Tantsi-Mantsi

Ethno-Fantasies-ThracianFairytale, ETNOTIX

Ethno-Fantasies-Aide Yano

Ethno-Fantasies-Saint James Folk

Ethno-Fantasies- Kopanedyalkovitsa