Showcase: Kolida Babo (GR)

Showcase: Kolida Babo (GR)

Kolida Babo is the collaboration between two Greek woodwind musicians from separate regions – Socratis Votskos is from Pella, and Harris P is from Athens. Their self-titled debut album, was recorded in improvised live-take sessions beginning on the night of the “Kolida Babo” folk rituals of music and dance in northern Greece in winter 2013. The sessions proceeded over three years, exploring the ancient music of Armenia and the folk traditions of northern Greece’s Epirus and Thrace regions alongside abstract electronics and free jazz.

Their aim is to express themselves to fully through music and art. Creativity and collective expression is a vehicle to a better understanding of life itself and music is a universal language that it must be accessible to everyone. The first presentation of their music took place in Athens (February 2017). Kolida Babo was chosen to participate at the 18nth Biennale of young Artists – Europe and Medditeranean in the field of music, where was the opening act at the Biennale in Tirana, Albania. 

They released their first LP with MIC Records (London). They have also released a single with Jazzman Records jazz45 series ”Spirits of Mauronoros”. They have performed and recorded for Greek National Radio and presented their LP in Athens, Thessaloniki and Madrid , performing in Museo Reina Sofia.
In November of 2018 they composed the original score of ”Gospel of Michiel” documentary, presented in 21st Thessaloniki Documentary Festival. Their music is broadcasted via many Radio shows and received many positive reviews from “The Wire”, “The Guardian”, “thevinylfactory.com“. They also performed in Reworks festival, Cosmopolis festival (GR), and in Vinterjazz festival (Copenhagen, Denmark). They currently prepare their second LP release, while participating in Thessaloniki documentary film festival.