Record Reviews

THEODOSII SPASSOV ~ BEYOND THE FRONTIERS GEGA NEW 194 ~ BULGARIA ~ Soundtracks Recorded: 1995 Released: 1995 This is a collection of Cinematic music / Soundtracks by the great Bulgarian kaval (Balkan flute) player / composer Theodosii SpassovFind albums by this artist. The music is performed by various lineups, including Symphonic Orchestra, Female Choir, Jazz Trio but mostly solo kaval performances – altogether seventeen tracks, originating from six soundtracks of Bulgarian movies and some Bulgarian Radio recordings. Spassov is also known for his incredible Jazz / Jazz-World Fusion recordings, both solo and with many European / American musicians, and his many albums are all absolutely sublime and worth being listened to. This album presents mostly his work as a soundtrack composer and offers beautiful Folklore oriented material, as well as Cinematic / Ambient and often Jazz influenced music, which is insanely beautiful and moving. Overall, this is a great opportunity to get acquainted with one of the most talented Balkan musicians / composers, whose great talent transcends any geographic boundaries

Updated: 07/09/2026Posted: 07/09/2026

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

WORLD ORCHESTRA ~ LIVE IN GDANSK UNIVERSAL 028948107599 (Barcode: 028948107599) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2011 Released: 2013 The World Orchestra is a brainchild of Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Grzech PiotrowskiFind albums by this artist, who managed to create an international ensemble of dozens of musicians from all over the world, which performs a sort of Jazz-World Fusion music, based on melodic themes with strong ethnic flavors. This album presents a live recording by the World Orchestra, featuring some world-famous World Music artists, like the Bulgarian kaval player Theodosii SpassovFind albums by this artist, Finnish kantele player Sinikka LangelandFind albums by this artist, the Bulgarian Voices AngeliteFind albums by this artist choir and many others. Polish artists included Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist, pianist Marcin WasilewskiFind albums by this artist and a large orchestra; all in all 84 (according to the liner notes) musicians on one stage. They perform fourteen pieces, most of which were composed by Piotrowski, with a few exceptions. Although the logistics behind this project must have been staggering and the basic idea of combining musical cultures is definitely commendable, the overall result is very problematic. There is no common bond linking the different pieces together, no thematic thread, not even a loosely devised common denominator. As a result each of the pieces more or less works on its own, but is not connected to anything before and after it and the entire concert becomes a sort of tribute to different folkloristic themes, but not more. Although all the musicians involved are true masters of their respective trade, the lush orchestral arrangements and the ambience of Smooth Jazz floating above create a typical overproduced easy-listening music, which keeps the brain in a state of blissful lethargy. This kind of domesticated World Music is very popular since it is accessible to large crowds, who would definitely have a problem to stomach some authentic Folklore and need the sugary envelope to be able to swallow it. Of course one can wonder is this is the correct way to bring new musical thrills to people, but that becomes a question of moral / artistic choices. The CD is accompanied by a DVD of the same concert, which adds no additional music beyond the contents of the CD and is therefore completely redundant.

Updated: 26/10/2016Posted:

CD+DVD 2 Digipak Recommend To A Friend