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Jazz Articles about Hristo Vitchev
Hristo Vitchev Quartet: In Search of Wonders
by Karl Ackermann
Only in his mid-thirties, Hristo Vitchev has led or co-led eight releases; three previous albums with the core of this quartet. With each outing representing a creative and additive progression that should rightfully place him in the class of guitarist/composers that span skill sets from Jim Hall to Pat Metheny, Vitchev is overdue in finding a wider audience. More importantly, as an artist (and his quartet, as a group) has documented each collection has contributing to a style that has ...
read moreThe Acoustic and the Electric: Hristo Vitchev and Joe DeRose
by Hrayr Attarian
Bay area guitarist Hristo Vitchev is a prolific and consummate musician. Capable of both deeply introspective lyricism and electrifyingly gregarious fervor, Vitchev, nevertheless, maintains his individuality and hi, easily recognizable, impressionistic style in all of his diverse engagements. Two records released in 2013 superbly showcase his adroitness in and adaptability to various musical situations. Hristo Vitchev and Liubomir Krastev Rhodopa First Orbit Sounds 2013 Rhodopa is a series of duets with ace ...
read moreHristo Vitchev and Liubomir Krastev: Rhodopa
by Nicholas F. Mondello
As artists continue to explore new musical vistas, some, Ulysses-like will return home to explore their ethno-musical roots and look to gather new wine from older grapes. Such is the example of this unique and very exquisite recording. With Rhodopa, Bay Area guitarist/composer Hristo Vitchev and clarinetist Liubomir Krastev meld musical minds, dive exuberantly into an array of earthy Bulgarian folk material and come up with four hands of beauty. The result is a panoply of aural color, ...
read moreHristo Vitchev / Liubomia Krastev: Rhodopa
by Jakob Baekgaard
While jazz as an art form always moves forward, it is also tied to tradition and the music of the past. Many jazz musicians with European ties have found inspiration in the folk music of their country: Jan Johansson's Jazz på svenska, Dag Arnesen's Norwegian Song 1-3 and Sunna Gunnlaugs Songs from Iceland are some of the most notable examples. Hristo Vitchev's Rhodopa could easily be added to this list. While Vitchev has moved to San Francisco ...
read moreHristo Vitchev and Liubomir Krastev: Rhodopa
by Eyal Hareuveni
Bulganin modern jazz guitarist Hristo Vitchev resides in the Bay Area and alternates between a variety of jazz formations. On Rhodopa, which is a mountainous region in Bulgaria (named after the character from the Greek mythology known also as Hera, sister of Zeus) he teams with clarinetist Liubomir Krastev who shares with him Bulgarian roots on a program of traditional Bulgarian melodies. Vitchev arrangements focus on the lyrical and emotional side of this folklore melody. He, ...
read moreHristo Vitchev Quartet: Familiar Fields
by Karl Ackermann
The nine original compositions that make up Familiar Fields were conceived by composer/guitarist Hristo Vitchev between the releases of Song for Messambria (First Orbit Sounds, 2009) and his seven-movement Perperikon Suite (Self Produced, 2011). Vitchev wisely decided that these pieces deserved a home of their own, and that choice is more than validated here. Sharing instrumental leads with frequent collaborator, pianist Weber Iago, Familiar Fields once again demonstrates Vitchev's lyrical clarity and his ability to convey emotion.“Ballad for ...
read moreHristo Vitchev Quartet: Familiar Fields
by Nicholas F. Mondello
There's a poignant scene in the film Gladiator (DreamWorks/Universal, 2000), where the film's hero, Maximus--played by actor and guitarist, Russell Crowe--flashes back on the lush fields of his far away farm home. There's a longing, a yearning sense in that memorable, moving sequence. Those fields pull at his heart.With Familiar Fields, his fifth CD as leader, guitarist Hristo Vitchev and his crew sends up a stimulating and engaging recording that is metaphorically dream-like. From start to finish, this ...
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