Michalis Katachanas Quartet

Michalis Katachanas quartet 

A graduate of Ionian University jazz program and New England Conservatory CI department, a great performer - improvisor plays some of the most sophisticated transformations of greek rembetika into modern improvisatory forms. Check Track #7 on the Jazz Now CD http://soundsofnone.wordpress.com/2012/01/05/ionian-jazznow/
The Michalis Katachanas quartet presents "Murderess" which was recorded in Boston, United States in May 2010 . It is comprised of original compositions inspired by rebetika songs of the 30's. The creation of this album was generated by the need to return to this primary form of urban Greek music tradition and a fresh review of this materialthrough jazz and contemporary improvisation.
Michalis Katachanas - Viola, Composer
Giannis Papadopoulos - Piano
Dinos Manos - Bass
Vasilis Podaras - Drums
Michalis Katachanas started studying violin and viola at the age of 8. In 1990 he entered the Experimental Music Highschool of Pallini and in 1999 the Department of Music Studies of the Ionian University, where he studied next to Dimos Dimitriadis. He graduated in 2006. In 2008 he was accepted as a postgraduate student at the Department of Contemporary Improvisation of the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, USA, winning a scholarship by the "Fulbright Foundation".
He studied next to Charlie Banako, Ran Blake and others. In 2010 he won a scholarship by the "Gerontelis Foundation". He graduated in May 2010.
He has worked with Eleftheria Arvanitaki, Nikos Xidakis, Dimos Dimitriadis, Vasilis Rakopoulos, Nikos Platirarhos, Jackie Leven, Joe Morris, Antony Coleman and others.
In 2010 he participated in the National Theatre's performance Trisevgeni under the direction of Lydia Koniordou, music: Takis Farazis.
He has appeared in a large number of concerts in Greece -.Corfu, Volos, Zante, Thessaloniki, Athens, and abroad: England, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Germany, Switzerland, U.S.A - Boston and New York. He has recorded with Jackie Leven (Elegy for Johnny Cash), Joe Morris, Alexander Splitz, T?d??? ????s???ß?, Fide Koksal and others.

Stage Plan :The positioning of the musicians will be as follows:
As we see the stage from the front side in left side is the piano next is the contrabass and next is the drum set.The Viola instrument will be in between the piano and contrabass slightly in front .

Technical requirments:We need a line for the viola instrument with xlr .Note that we will bring our own viola preamp (in occasion for best effect viola can be combined with an extra mic –we’ll be good to have this option available).
For the drum set we will need 5-7 microphones

For the piano cover we will need a microphone

For the contrabass we will need an amp

And for the ensemble 4 stage monitors

Links for Michalis Katachanas
http://www.myspace.com/576625995/blog/544993785

http://soundcloud.com/michalis-katachanas

http://www.jazzonline.gr/en/musicians/item/1015-katachanas-michalis.html

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1123784200