Ivo Papasov - "Dance Of The Falcon"

Dance of the Falcon is a long-treasured project for Papasov, a collection of pieces each with a particular memory attached to it. Those memories range from the nostalgic hymnal of Hubava si moya Goro (Beautiful Forest) to the haunting, jazz-tinged romance of Sunrise, and even the delightfully bizarre, courtesy of a cover of The Pink Panther theme spliced through with oriental rhythms.
Papasov is a whirlwind of a musician, a technical virtuoso out of whom spills a phenomenal approach to the clarinet, one that bubbles and boils away with volcano-like energy and heat. It might be stretching things to say you'll find references here to most middle- and eastern European music traditions, but not by very much.
You don't have to be about to get married to listen to Papasov's intoxicating collection of wedding songs, but do clear a space on the nearest available floor and be prepared to get up and dance. This is one of the essential summer sounds of the year.

Tracks:

1. Dance of the Falcon - Kaba Zurna
2. Tinner's Dance
3. Pink Panther
4. Sunrise
5. Hubava si Moya Goro
6. Sweet Rakia in Rozino
7. Echoes of Rumelia
8. Prayer from the Mountains - Daglar


Musicians:

Ivo Papasov - clarinet Selmer Series 10S; soprano saxophone;
Vasil Denev - keyboards;
Ateshkhan Yousseinov - guitar;

Session musicians:

Mariya Ramalchanova - violin;
Kristina Venkova - violin;
Ivelina Hristova - violin;
Galina Panayotova - violin;
Draga Mitovska - violin;
Mariya Venkova - viola;
Boryana Bekirska - viola;
Jirar Yuzengidjan - violoncello;
Stela Bakalova - contrabass;
Radoslav Krastev - bass guitar;
Vasko Aivazov - bass guitar
Asen Sashev - tef (tambourine);champari (zils - finger cymbals);
Selyatin Redzhep - tarambukka, tabla;
Velyo Velev - tarambukka;
Veselin Andreev - Orhan – tapan (double-headed drum);
Ivelin Asenov - drums;

Guests:

Vasil Parmakov – piano; keyboards;
Shain Ibryamov - qanun; oud;
Stoyan Yankulov – drums; congas; tapan (double-headed drum); talking drum;
Sasho Bikov - drums;


"I’ve been wanting to record these tunes for a long time. They’ve been in my mind for years and I didn’t even dare to think that one day I’d be able to record them. The memories connected with this music have stayed with me. Like on a film, the images of the people I grew up with and of my parents changed in front of my eyes. I inherited this music from them. Each of these tunes has got its own story. I recorded them for my own pleasure, but then I thought why not let other people have them? Why not give them some pleasure as well? A lot of these people have now grown old and, like me, have dreamed of hearing this music recorded and preserved for future generations. These are tunes which you play when you’re feeling good, during the best moments of your life. I played them just like I feel them today. My performances here are a modern, rather different interpretation. But it’s good to look back and to remember who we are, where we come from and to preserve this music for our children and for those who will come after us." Ivo Papasov