Music of and about life on "Funkallero"'s debut album

 

      30.09.2015 

      Svetoslav Nikolov

 

     

      This music is the soundtrack of the perfect mornings when we welcome the new day looking forward to the best that we will give and that will happen to us, to those wonderful surpises that life will touch us with. These are interesting days, inspiring us - and all that happens we talk about and share. The eveings are the time to take a rest and think about these events and how they made us feel. Then comes the kiss goodnight and we slowly drift to sleep in anticipation of yet another wonderful day ahead of us. All these moments are captured by Funkallero on their self-titled debut album. "That is the imprint that we put on the songs and that marks our live communication with the audience," the band's leader - pianist Vassil Spassov said on Jazz FM when introducing us to the beautiful music on this CD. These are exceptional musicians, but also strong personalities that form Funkallero - Vassil Spassov (piano), Dimitar Liolev (alto sax), Miroslav Ivanov (guitar), Radoslav Slavchev  Riverman (bass) and Georgi Markov (drums). They love music from the bottom of their hearts and are glad that music makes them friends with so many people - the enthusiastic audience of their live events. "We formed the band just beacuse we wanted to make music together. We enjoy rehearsing, and every concert is something special. The energy that flows between us easily resonates wth the audience. These are moments very, very special to us." - Vassil Spassov shares the pleasure of the creative process. Funkallero's debuit album has been in the works for two years and a half now - growing with each concert and rehearsal. Based on the freedom of each member's artistic and emotional expression, the pieces develop with solos that discuss and choruses that sum up. As we do in life. Vassil Spassov explains: "The pieces were ready, I had composed them. But during rehearsals and concerts someone would start a solo, sharing a specific thought or emotion, and that would become part of the band's "folklore". That's how we would start to play the piece. Every member of the band has his own voice in our music. This is how it happens. And it is very precious to me." That is what makes this music so special to the listeners either. Part of the ease of sharing is leaving the titles of the compositions just as the band members would call them informally. "22:22 was easiest to give a title. We liked how the song came out, I looked at my watch - it was 22:22. That was a special moment, and as a moment in time it stayed in the title of the song." Such is the case with Quince Jam, too - a piece that Vassil Spassov had played many years ago with another great pianist - Rumen Toskov "Rupeto" and flutist Simeon Shterev. Just as they did with Kiss Goodnight. To "Rupeto" and his mother, Dimitrinka Spassova, Vassil Spassov dedicates the album. He thanks Antoni Rikev with whom he recorded and mixed the songs and who established the releasing label Music Clinic Records to support the community of contemporary Bulgarian jazz artists.It is the modern flavour of chill out music that rounds up the album. Nikolay Danev ad DJ Marten Roberto talentedly remix The Dude - its sound and mood illustrates what we well know - nothing really starts from scratch and nothing ends without leaving a trace.

 

      Release Date: 1 October 2015 from Music Clinic Records

 

• Art Design: Dimitar Traichev. Sound Masteriung: Hristo Karagyozov (Digital Plus Studio).