Kinesis

Kinesis – the word, derived from both Greek and Latin – means movement. And it is with momentum coupled to precise musicianship that the protean Galan Trio, integrated by pianist Petros Bouras, violinist Babis Karasavvidis, and cellist Marina Kolovius, performs music by Paul Richards (Hairpin Turn), Martin Gendelman (Ictus), Nickilas Demos (Prelude to What Happens in the Death of Tomorrow), Scott Robbins (Look of Sky), Yiorgos Vassilandonakis (Cyanic Outbursts), Ken Steen (Attempting to Conjure Joy), John Levey (Ghost Town Sounds), odd Groves (Dance Music for a Frenetic Mind), Matthew Greenbaum (Chaconne from a Distance), and David Martynulk (Piano Trio #1 Kinematic Contraption).

The Athens-based Galan Trio plays with a combination of elegance and boldness works that refuse to be labeled and that in a myriad ways intrigue and stimulate now with humorous pointillism and then suddenly with serious intent couched in forceful atonality.

I liked all 13 compositions on both CD’S, and found a kinship among many, namely a way of giving a renewed voice to what the trio members had kept silenced from the onset of the pandemic. The Galan Trio’s commitment to new music in a variety of styles is laudable and one looks forward to hearing from them in the upcoming months.

Recorded for NEUMA at the end of 2021, the GALAN TRIO KINESIS double CD is simply packaged and well-engineered by Panagiotis Petronikolos.

Rafael de Acha © 2023