Spiros Exaras World-Jazz Ensemble

Spiros Exaras World-Jazz Ensemble fuses jazz with musical elements of Greece and of other cultures and utilizes a variety of exotic instruments along with Western ones. One will hear a Greek clarinet “flying” amongst rock guitars on one tune or a canun teasing the piano in another tune, while a zurna can scream and a lyre can blend with an African voice in other compositions.

Acclaimed critique Joshua Kline once wrote, “Spiros Exaras succeeds in achieving that special blend of modern to traditional, playful to somber, and Eastern to Western that so many Jazz musicians in the past have failed at”.

Spiros Exaras World-Jazz Ensemble comprise of 7 pre-eminent instrumentalists. Henry Hey on piano/keyboards who has been musical director of George Michael, Rod Stewart and David Bowie, Matt Garrison on bass, an acclaimed bassist who has worked with Herbie Hancock and John McLaughlin and son of the legendary bassist Jim Garrison, Gene Lake on drums, who has worked with David Sanborn and Henry Threadgill, Lefteris Bournias on Greek clarinet/zurna, Arto Tuncboyaciyan on percussion/vocals whose distinctive style can be heard on works of Al Di Meola, Joe Zawinul and Tribal Tech, and Phaedon Sinis on canun/lyre and lute. Lastly, the composer himself on electric, acoustic and classical guitar and other interesting instruments such as bouzouki, fretless guitar or mandolin. 

www.spirosexaras.com