Giorgos Tabakis
Full Bio
Born in Athens – Greece in 1980.
He came into contact with music at the age of 10, when he met the guitarist-composer Kostas Eliades with whom he started and completed his studies in classical guitar.
With years of apprenticeship by the internationally acclaimed composer / guitarist / improviser Andreas Georgiou, he was taught jazz guitar, jazz harmony, advanced music theory, improvisation, analysis of musical forms and structures, composition approaches etc. During his apprenticeship, he received a wide range of knowledge, stimulation and guidance as to the aesthetics and philosophy of music.
His experimental approach has also led him to explore and study various traditional and world instruments, such as the Indian sitar and sarod, the Aboriginal didgeridoo, multi-percussion, and others. During the same period he studied classical piano with the pianist and soprano Konstantina Mantziari.
His main interest in guitar playing lies both in its polyphonic approach –as a major harmonious instrument in contemporary music ensembles on/upon which compositions and improvisations are created- and in its solo role. Since 2007, he has been experimenting with alternative ways of playing/performing on 7string guitars, creating an intimate artistic style.
Through the special instrument GT 8 string MOOV guitar – made by George Behlivanoglou – reveals an artistic world rich in guitar ideas and techniques that offer comfort and space to the music and soundscapes that are created.
The aesthetic direction of his compositions is placed in the wider fields of contemporary European jazz. His guitar work spans multiple genres and is recognized for pushing the boundaries of guitar music by blending elements of contemporary classical, jazz, and avant-garde styles.
His 2020 cd Dual Nature with the German clarinetist Rebecca Trescher won the Global Music Award’s Silver Medal – Outstanding Achievement 2020. It was on the “best jazz on Bandcamp”, Lifo’s best list for new Greek releases, on the DIY section of the Downbeat magazine digital edition and had great reviews from journalists and european, US, UK jazz press.
In his new hEre nOw theN cd (September 2021) Giorgos Tabakis captures his personal view of the modern guitar, presenting a set of compositions and improvisations for solo 8 string guitar that focus on the broader modern music approach, assimilating elements and trends of modern classical, modern jazz, avant garde, progressive music, with the Greek sound being often present both melodic and rhythmically giving a result that is fresh and distinctive.
The album has gained international acclaim and distinctions, with over 40 rave reviews from major music publications across Europe, the US, Japan and Australia and was praised for its unique soundscape and visionary approach, featured on prominent music podcasts and received widespread attention from international media.
