GRIX

Motivated and resourceful, saxophonist Floros Floridis is arguably Greece’s most accomplished improvising musician. A world traveler, he’s best known in the jazz world for his colaborations with like-minded experimental musicians, most notably the late Wupertal-based bassist Peter Kowald and drummer Günther “Baby” Sommer of Dresden. At the same time Thessaloniki-based Floridis – who with pianist Sakis Papadimitriou recorded Greece’s first out-and-out Free Jazz session in 1979- has always made a point of encouraging other Hellenic players along the path to Free Music. “ Free Improvisation is my favorite method of creating music” he says. “It’s the one I respect and believe in the most.” This CD from Grix, the new trio, is a notable example of this philosophy. Over the course of one dozen instant compositions, the 55-year-old veteran , who plays alto saxophone, bass and Bb clarinets here, hooks up with two prodigiously talented younger performers from his home town, in a session recorded there. Pianist Antonis Anissegos (born 1970) and drummer Yorgos Dimitriadis (born 1964), now both live in Berlin, where Floridis is also a frequent visitor. After extensive academic studies throughout Europe, the well-traveled Anissegos composes and performs orchestral, chamber and theatre compositions througout Europe and Asia. Still, as his playing on this disk demonstrates, he also posses a fine jazz touch and sensibility. Dimitriadis moved from rock music to studies in Boston with master jazz drummers Alan Dawson and Bob Moses, and then was exposed to Free Music through Floridis-organized gigs in Thessaloniki. During a decade in Paris, the drummer played in French jazz groups, and latterly gigs with legendary American bassist Sirone as well as with Grix. On this disk, Dimitriadis’s powerful beat is impressively balanced by his rhythmic flourishes and quicksilver tempo changes. All the tunes on “Sweet, Sour, Sharp & Soft” involve sonic cross-pollination, which means that each trio member contributes his fair share to the success of the CD. Jokingly Floridis explains that “Grix” doesn’t really represent anything in parrticular. However the “Gr” does reference to “Greece” – and note that every tune title is replicated in Greek characters as well as regular script. Meanwhile the“ix” gives Grix a gritty contemporary look. Certainly singleminded toughness is one of the musical qualities exhibited on this CD, along with extrasensory mutual interaction and profound technical skill. In fact, although taken together the adjectives may suggest contradictions; alternatively “Sweet, Sour, Sharp & Soft “ is how these extraordinary improvisers play on this notable and highly original date. Ken Waxman (www.jazzword.com) Toronto July 2008