CURRENT
QUALITY OF JOY (2023)
Fabrizio Cassol (sax), Michel Hatzigeorgiou (el. bass), Stéphane Galland (drums)
and the Orchestral Consellation
As the cherry on the cake to their 30 Years Anniversary in 2022, Aka Moon release their 24th album on January 27th 2023. The line-up of Quality of Joy is made up of a permanent base of harmonic instruments (accordion, guitars, cello) in addition to the trio and specific guests on some tracks (trumpet, voice, brass ensemble.
When travel and concerts were no longer possible due to the recent pandemic, Fabrizio embarked on an inner exploration in search of the ‘memory bubbles’ scattered in his head from all his past musical experiences. It’s a subtle work, focused on the emotions linked to these intonations, the paths and the melodic and harmonic doors they open.
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BJO INVITES AKA MOON (2023)
Brussels Jazz Orchestra + Aka Moon & João Barradas
After Aka Moon blew out 30 candles in 2022, the same honour will fall to the Brussels Jazz Orchestra in 2023. The ideal occasion to bring both bands together for the first time, after three impressive decades, both at home and abroad.
Both bands have been part of the (inter)national jazz landscape for ages, but have never joined forces before.
Throughout the years, they’ve both developed a strong identity and unique musical idiom. Their musical worlds may seem far apart at first, but this surprising and inspiring collaboration will undoubtedly create new musical common ground.
Three concerts are set for 2023:
16.02 — BOZAR (Brussels)
18.02 — PBA (Charleroi)
19.02 — Bijloke (Ghent)
30 YEARS/
TRIO (+ JOÃO BARRADAS) (2022)
Fabrizio Cassol (sax), Michel Hatzigeorgiou (el. bass), Stéphane Galland (drums) (+ João Barradas (accordeon))
In 2022, Aka Moon celebrates their 30th anniversary as a band! A new album is being recorded and the trio is playing concerts quite frequently, often accompanied by Portuguese accordeon star João Barradas. The bring a best off of their work from over the last three decades, while also teasing the new upcoming music.
OPUS 111
Fabrizio Cassol - alto saxophone, Michel Hatzigeorgiou - el. bass Stéphane Galland - drums
+ Fredy Massamba - voice, Fabian Fiorini - piano, João Barradas - accordeon
In addition to being one of Beethoven's most symbolic works, the Sonata 32 Op. 111 for piano (1821-22) is a demonstration of radical modernity. It marks the beginning of the splitting of the sonata form, the formal pillar for every composer of the 18th century; and in its second part even introduces a new way to construct the musical phrase, so it's considered by some as the starting point of jazz. The rhythmic innovations have confused most of the composer's contemporaries. At this meaningful intersection with multiple resonances, Fabrizio Cassol approaches this specific sonata that synchronizes emotional spaces beyond eras, cultures, social or aesthetic points of view. This fact forms an ideal musical context for the Aka Moon trio, which for the occasion also added three other strong musical personalities. The Belgo-Congolese singer Fredy Massamba, who introduces his expressive power of African "storyteller". The accordion of Portuguese rising star Joao Barradas adds an urban modernity to the whole thanks to the playing of both acoustic and electronic instruments. The pianist Fabian Fiorini, an old companion of the trio, acts as a "reflective musician" of the sonata of Beethoven.
NOW
Fabrizio Cassol (sax), Michel Hatzigeorgiou (el.bass) & Stéphane Galland (drums)
In December 2017, Aka Moon proudly releases a new trio album (Outhere Music). After 25 years of musical complicity & numerous musical encounters, the trio goes back to its 'roots'. The integration of Oriental, African and Indian rhythms gives the band its unique sound which has evolved throughout the years and is still evolving. NOW is an extension of this desire to cultural musical integration. It also marks the unrivalled talent of this band, acquired by their 25 years long career, performing all over the world, as well as the long friendship of these three musicians and the fusion of their individual styles. Titles as Nomadism, The Visitor and Spiritual Exil show that the album doesn't shun current themes as migration and cultural diversity.
Alifbata
Aka Moon + Zila Khan (voice), Tcha Limberger (violin, voice), Nedyalko Nedyalkov (kaval), Tima Nedyalkova (voice),
Khaled El Hafez (voice), Amir ElSaffar (trumpet, santour, voice), Khaled Aljaramani (oud, voice) & Emmanuel Baily (guitar)
Under the wing of Fondation de Royaumont two significant Aka Moon projects arose in the past: 'Aka Balkan Moon', inspired by Balkan music with a special focus on the Bulgarian tradition, and 'AlefBa' that focuses on sultry sounds of the Middle East. The compositions and musicians of those projects blend together into a new synthesis: 'Alifbata', the first three letters of the Arabic alphabet. A new musical trip that is reaching from Belgium to Bulgaria, Syria, Iraq and India.
The Scarlatti Book
Aka Moon + Fabian Fiorini (piano)
Never afraid of musical encounters, Aka Moon, accompanied by pianist Fabian Fiorini, devoted an album to the Italian composer D. Scarlatti (1685-1757). The latter offers in its sonatas fascinating rhythmic and harmonic eccentricities. With Scarlatti, each sonata is a particular sound object, concealing popular, Arabic and Mediterranean colours, offering opportunities for transformation, sometimes tending to the Balkan influences. Performing this baroque music in another time gives to the contemporary interpretations room for improvisation. This creation takes its audience on an imaginary, surprising journey.
OPUS 111 (2020)
Fabrizio Cassol (sax), Michel Hatzigeorgiou (el. bass), Stéphane Galland (drums) + João Barradas (accordeon), Fabian Fiorini (piano), Fredy Massamba (voice)
In addition to being one of Beethoven’s most symbolic works, the Sonata 32 Op. 111 for piano (1821-22) is a demonstration of radical modernity. It marks the beginning of the splitting of the sonata form, the formal pillar for every composer of the 18th century; and in its second part even introduces a new way to construct the musical phrase, so it’s considered by some as the starting point of jazz. The rhythmic innovations have confused most of the composer’s contemporaries.
At this meaningful intersection with multiple resonances, Fabrizio Cassol approaches this specific sonata that synchronizes emotional spaces beyond eras, cultures, social or aestheticpoints of view. This fact forms an ideal musical context for the Aka Moon trio, which for the occasion also added three other strong musical personalities.