Bulgaria-raised, San Francisco-based guitarist-composer Hristo Vitchev fronts an accomplished quintet on this seven-movement suite inspired by the ancient Thracian city of Perperikon. Vitchev’s sophisticated and adventurous work is imbued with shimmering harmonies and lyrical improvisations by vibraphonist Christian Tamburr, pianist Weber Iago and Vitchev himself on flowing, warm-toned Metheny-esque guitar. Completed by the rhythm section of bassist Dan Robbins and drummer Joe DeRose, this flexible unit travels from thoughtful offerings like “The Stone Passage,” “The Southern City” and “The Palace,” to more urgently driving numbers like “The Acropolis” and “The Great Hall” and the intricate stop-time vehicle “The Northern City.”
Originally PublishedHristo Vitchev Quintet: The Perperikon Suite
JazzTimes may earn a small commission if you buy something using one of the retail links in our articles. JazzTimes does not accept money for any editorial recommendations. Read more about our policy here. Thanks for supporting JazzTimes.
