Residency of Nestor Vasilakis, hosted by Rhodes & South Aegean International Jazz Festival in partnership with Bodrum Jazz Festival & Athens Jazz
Young saxophonist and composer Nestor Vassilakis travelled across the Aegean Sea to collaborate with Greek, Turkish, Cypriot and international jazz musicians. Supported by the EFFEA grant for emerging artists, Nestor Vassilakis was able to showcase the democratic, evolutionary (and revolutionary) nature of jazz and how important it is to assimilate the past while presenting a future, developing the language and the tradition with respect, inspiration, emotion, in a creative dialogue both with upcoming players and master musicians.
The EFFEA Residency started at the Rhodes & South Aegean International Jazz Festival. Together with the Baby Trio, Nestor Vassilakis presented new original compositions at the Palace of the Knights on 3 June 2024. Nestor also facilitated workshops and seminars at the Music School in Rhodes and the Bodrum Dibeklihan Cultural Centre.
Nestor Vassilakis was again on stage for the festival closing act that included musicians Sibel Kose (vocals), George Kontrafouris (piano), Dimitrios & Nestor Vassilakis (saxophones), Maria Kritsotaki (vocals), and Nicolas Tryphonos (double bass).
On 6 June, Nestor Vassilakis and the Baby Trio performed at the Bodrum Jazz Festival.
Later, on 27 December 2024, the artist performed alongside his father and saxophonist Dimitri Vassilakis at the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation in Athens.
The festivals provided experiences and exposure that enriched Nestor Vassilakis' improvisation and composition languages. These encounters allowed him to approach his first recording project with greater confidence. His band, too, benefited from this journey, deepening their connection and crafting music with a lasting impact.
Under the title 'Jazz Across The Water', the residency linked communities in the Aegean and Mediterranean seas, using jazz as the common thread. Performances and educational activities presented jazz as both an art form and a tool for cultural exchange and community empowerment.
Jazz thrives on the creativity of the young generations. Young artists must be able to find support and platforms to express their artistic innovations and quests.