Jazz guitar alive and kicking in Southern Crete

It is strange how when you are not expecting anything something happens.

This happened in Paleochora recently when I was there on holiday. I came across some superb playing which I did not expect in a small coastal village.

On Monday 22nd June, my 55th birthday I came across a band that were incorrectly advertised as the Ethnic Jazz Trio. No Greek enthnicity here – I recognised tunes from Herbie Hancock, Ronnie Jordan, Pat Metheny and Paco Pena. The keyboard player and the guitarist were tight as a drum, the drummer was OK but I think  the  drummer and the band would have been enhanced further by the inclusion of a good bass player. The excellent Dimitri Koliakoudakis (guitar) informed me that really good bass players did not exist in Chania.

The following Monday at the Skala Bar Paleochora more quality music from a jazz guitar trio: Manolis Hatzogiannaes, Giorgos Limakis & Dimitri Koliakoudakis. Dimitri was concerned that it was their first gig and that they were not rehearsed enough. The reaction from the audience proved otherwise and only the lonely purist would have criticised their performance. For me it was an excellent night – they looked as though they enjoyed playing together. My only criticism is that they never introduced any song or gave any background to what they were playing. The performance could have been enhanced by some interaction with the audience, e.g name of the song, who wrote it etc., a small criticism but I think a worthy one. If you are ever in Western Crete look out for these guys, you will not be disappointed.