NOTE: THIS A LOOSE TRANSLATION (EDITED AND PARAPHRASED) FROM THE ORIGINAL FRENCH REVIEW

Greek pianist and composer Tania Giannouli once again imagines a singular alloy of sonority: piano, oud and trumpet. “In Fading Light” is released on New Zealand label Rattle.

“Oud and trumpet are two of my favourite instruments. A piano trio with these instruments is unusual, but I wanted to explore the beautiful textures, tones and emotional resonances that this combination offers. And of course, Andreas Polyzogopoulos (trumpet) and Kyriakos Tapakis (oud) are fabulous musicians, so it is a joy to work with them.

Despite what is happening in our world today, people need music. They need art. It is not a luxury. It is essential for our psychology, to maintain health and mental, physical, emotional, spiritual and even political balance. The music on this album is an expression of love, hope and compassion, a call for understanding, kindness, and the need to respect and embrace our common bond.” - Tania Giannouli, Nov 2020

The Tania Giannouli Trio first performed together at the legendary Berlin Jazzfest in 2018. Downbeat magazine described their music as "irresistible melodies with a burst of momentum ... like Manfred Eicher dreaming of the Mediterranean ". German magazine Jazzthetik named the concert among the best of 2018, while All About Jazz placed the trio's concerts at the Wonderfeel Festival and Zomer Fits Jazz Tour among the highlights of 2019.

Tania Giannouli has been widely praised for her solo concerts and for her three previous albums released on New Zealand music label, Rattle Records: Forest Stories (2012), Transcendence (2015) and particularly Rewa (2018), a very successful collaboration with New Zealand taonga puoro exponent, Rob Thorne, an album that received many rave reviews upon its release.

Enjoy Festival wrote: "Many consider Rewa's concert in Ludwigshafen as the surprise highlight of the festival year. Greek pianist Tania Giannouli, New Zealand taonga puoro player Rob Thorne and Italian percussionist Michele Rabbia have succeeded in building a breathtaking bridge between classical, ambient and contemporary music.”

A pianist and versatile composer, Tania Giannouli has composed various film scores and has made a specialty of interdisciplinary projects, which insist on a very instrumental sound language. Located between traditional folklore and new music, Transcendence was cited by Greek critics as one of the most important releases of the decade, and this year she offers a new repertoire with a trio comprising oud and trumpet.

One of the most important voices in contemporary European music, Giannouli is currently collaborating with singer Maria Pia De Vito and percussionist Michele Rabbia on an electroacoustic project, The Book of Lost Songs, which premiered at the Enjoy Jazz 2020 festival and is expected to be presented at the Ars Musica contemporary music festival in Brussels.

hat speaks explicitly to, as Giannouli puts it, "what is happening in the world at this time. People need music. They need art. It is not a luxury".

France Musique, December 2020
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