Dimitris Vasilakis’ new jazz album, featuring his own compositions and orchestrations, was released in Greece and Britain in September 2005 and the United States in March 2006.
The album, entitled ParallelLines, was released by Candid Records. The album was produced with the cooperation of Dimitris Vasilakis on saxophone, drums and vocals, Essiet Okon Essiet on bass, and top drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts.
In March, the album was presented in Athens at the Fnack record store and the ACS Arts Centre in Halandri, and at the Vortex jazz club in London. In April, it was presented in the United States at the New York clubs, Sweet Rhythm and The Cutting Room, and at The HotHouse and Barnes & Noble in Chicago.
Dimitris Vasilakis received an Onassis Foundation scholarship to study classical saxophone, piano and composition at the London College of Music where he obtained a soloist diploma and graduated with honours. He then went on to attend a series of postgraduate classes in jazz saxophone and composition at the Royal Academy of Music and obtained a diploma in jazz teaching.
He teaches at the Department of Music Science and Art at the University of Macedonia. He is the first Greek to join jazz music’s historical recording company, Candid Records. His album, entitled "Daedalus Project-Labyrinth", was recorded in New York and awarded by the BBC. His compositions have been presented at the Athens Festival, the London Jazz Festival, New York’s famous Birdland club, the University of Yale and significant festivals in a number of European countries, as well as South Africa.
For his recordings as well as his performances, he has cooperated with some of the biggest names on the international jazz scene, such as David Liebman, Marc Johnson, Ralph Peterson, Theodosii Spassof, and others.
