Tzifakis: Flamenco Odyssey Christos Tzifakis

• Christos Tzifakis (b. 1969): Flamenco Odyssey:
• 1 Tzifakis: Flamenco Odyssey: I. Sailing (Arr. M. Travlos for Guitar & Chamber Ensemble) 08:10
• 2 Tzifakis: Flamenco Odyssey: II. El Greco's Footsteps 06:59
• 3 Tzifakis: Flamenco Odyssey: III. Telemachus Tango (Arr. M. Travlos for Guitar & Chamber Ensemble) 04:27
• 4 Tzifakis: Flamenco Odyssey: IV. Plegaria 02:47
• 5 Tzifakis: Flamenco Odyssey: V. Bacchus Soleá (Arr. M. Travlos for Guitar & Chamber Ensemble) 05:37
• 6 Tzifakis: Flamenco Odyssey: VI. Escobilla (Arr. M. Travlos for Guitar & Chamber Ensemble) 03:01
• 7 Tzifakis: Flamenco Odyssey: VII. Nostalgia (Arr. M. Travlos for Guitar & Chamber Ensemble) 06:53
• 8 Tzifakis: Flamenco Odyssey: VIII. Baghdad (Arr. M. Travlos for Guitar & Chamber Ensemble) 09:43
• 9 Tzifakis: Flamenco Odyssey: IX. Alter Ego 06:48
• Total Runtime 54:25

Info for Tzifakis: Flamenco Odyssey

Odyssey is a voyage. Odysseus is me, it’s you, it’s every single person who chooses to go through adventures in order to reach the harbor of self realization.

"This record is my own Odyssey. I walk past the forms of flamenco, experiencing them from the point of view of a traveler who carries flavours and timbres of both eastern and western cultures. The tracks in this record are actually moments of this walk." (Christos Tzifakis)

Athens-born Christos Tzifakis has performed internationally as a solo classical guitarist and composed widely for solo guitar, flamenco-jazz groups and for the theatre. Flamenco Odyssey is one of his major works in which he allows the listener to experience flamenco from the vantage point of a traveller immersed in the timbres and flavours of both Eastern and Western cultures. The rhythms of the bulería, soleá and fandango offer intoxication as do improvisations on ancient Cretan songs. There are also darker, more melancholic impulses, while the festive nature of this wide-ranging and exhilarating work draws on blues-rock influences.

Christos Tzifakis, classical guitar
Evangelos Stathoulopoulos, flute
Panagiotis Bourazanis, electric bass
Nikos Kapilidis, drums
Giannis Papagiannoulis, percussion
Christos Xenakis, virtual string orchestra

Christos Tzifakis
was born in Athens, Greece in 1969. He commenced his musical education at the age of six playing the piano and from the age of ten he dedicated himself to the guitar.

1988 he was accepted at the Dutch Royal Academy – Conservatorium Maastricht as an exceptional talent. He finished his studies as a classical guitar soloist 1994 with distinction and honors ( “Cum Laude” a unique distinction at the Academy)

During his studies in the Nederlands, he participated in prestigious guitar festivals of Europe (Koln, Amsterdam, Volos, Cordoba), where he had the chance to interact with masters of the classical guitar such as: Hubert Kaeppel, Thomas Muehler Pehring, Abel Carlevaro, Pepe Romero, Leo Brouwer, Costas Cotsiolis.

1991 he gained a scholarship by the above-mentioned Academy and traveled to Cordoba (Spain) where he studied the flamenco guitar with Manolo Sanlucar.

1994 he returns to Athens and continues his formal education with Michalis Travlos (composition) and Markos Alexiou (Jazz).

Christos Tzifakis has composed pieces for solo guitar, flamenco jazz and theatre. He has transcribed various compositions from other instruments for the guitar (from J.S. Bach to Chick Corea) His latest work “Flamenco Alchemy” for chamber orchestra, solo guitar and flamenco -jazz group was choreographed by the renowned flamenco dancer Joaquin Grilo and premiered at Megaron Concert Hall Athens 2010.

Christos Tzifakis has been teaching and giving specialised lectures at guitar festivals and organised seminars on very specific topics concerning the combination of the flamenco and classical guitar techniques, as well as the composition technique of the Spanish composers.

He is the founder of the first flamenco guitar festival in Athens.

Booklet for Tzifakis: Flamenco Odyssey