Pianist and composer Antoine Karacostas created his trio in 2014, with the desire to explore his compositions and the richness of the Greek musical tradition. His first album, Trails, was released in 2017 and was very well received by the press. And because the human adventure is as important to him as the music and group sound they develop together, the trio has remained the same since its creation, with Anders Ulrich on double bass and Simon Bernier on drums.

What the press has said about Trails:

"Between breathless swing races and finely chiselled lyrical strolls, pianist Antoine Karacostas' debut album has its roots in jazz, Middle Eastern and Greek music"

FIP, album jazz de la semaine

Greece inspires Antoine Karacostas, it leads him towards his ambiguous scales and breathes into his music his light like no other. ...] The pianist finds here a way that adorns his first album with singular sparkling singulars.

Les Inrocks «10 albums de jazz français à écouter en 2017»

On his album "Trails", Antoine Karacostas invents, by mixing the Greek music of his origins and the language of contemporary jazz, a truly unique voice. It rediscovers the deep melodic content, rhythms and refined soul of this tradition and makes it new. Hotly recommended!

Jonathan Kreisberg, guitarist and composer

Recorded after a very successful tour in Japan in September 2018, Insulary Tales is the result of their research and work. The disc is composed mainly of compositions inspired by island life (notably the Cyclades), and two arrangements by the singer and bouzoukist Vasilis Tsitsanis. The musicians develop music that is as much influenced by New York and Middle Eastern jazz as by rebetiko and traditional Greek music. To complete this recording, the group had the pleasure of welcoming two magnificent guests, guitarist Federico Casagrande and trumpeter Andreas Polyzogopoulos.

THE ALBUM

1 - L'Ici Et Maintenant 03'47

2 - To Steki (The Hangout) 04'40

3 - Aharisti (Ungrateful) 05'56

4 - Newborn Suite Part 1 05'29

5 - Newborn Suite Part 2 04'56

6 - I Theatrina (The Comedian) 03'44

7 - Armeriki's Song 04'43

8 - To Monopati (The Path) 07'26

9 - O Milos (The Windmill) 06'53

10 - Calme Plat 05'39

Antoine Karacostas - piano

Anders Ulrich - double bass

Simon Bernier - drums

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Federico Casagrande - guitar on 3 and 9.

Andreas Polyzogopoulos - trumpet and flugelhorn on 1, 7 and 8.

All the compositions are by Antoine Karacostas except Aharisti and I Theatrina which are by Vasilis Tsitsanis.

This album is dedicated to Dario Karacostas and Yannis Tsiomis.

Recorded by Julien Bassères at the Studio de Meudon on October 1 and 2, 2018. Mixed by Antoine Karacostas at Studio Aeronef. Mastered by Emil Spanyi at Studio LDF.

Photography, painting and artwork by Maxence Ravelomanantsoa.

Video of Julia Salmon.

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Antoine Karacostas Trio "Insulary Tales"