Stefanos Kozanis · Στέφανος Κοζάνης
composer and pianist active in jazz, classical, and contemporary music … more
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November 2026: Jykä Ahola in Athens & My Upcoming Live Appearances
As has been our tradition every November for the past 4 years, our dear friend, Finnish trumpeter and composer Jykä Ahola, visits Athens for a series of concerts. I am delighted to be joining him on stage for 4 of these performances:
Saturday 14/11 | Concerto Cafe Artistic
A Tribute to Chet Baker - Jykä Ahola (trumpet), Stefanos Kozanis (piano), and Lieber Panos / Panos Gerakakis (vocals).
A special tribute to the lyricism of jazz icon Chet Baker, featuring renditions of beloved songs he performed, alongside selected instrumental pieces from his discography.
Starting time: 21:00
⭐ Friday 20/11 | Theatre of the No
NEOS Quartet featuring: Jykä Ahola (trumpet), Stefanos Kozanis (piano), Chrysostomos Boukalis (double bass), and Nikos Sidirokastritis (drums).
The centerpiece performance of this Finnish-Greek collaboration. The newly formed quartet explores the atmospheric aesthetic of the ECM sound, presenting original compositions by Jykä Ahola and Stefanos Kozanis, alongside iconic pieces that shaped this distinctive style. Just a few days after the concert, the group will enter the studio to record their debut album, scheduled for release in 2027. A night of lyricism, tone colors, and deep musical synergy.
Starting time: 21:30
Thursday 26/11 | SPITI Art Bar
A Tribute To Helen Merrill - Nassia Gofa & The Jazz Tales ft. Jykä Ahola:
Nassia Gofa’s jazz trio, featuring Stefanos Kozanis (piano) and Kostas Patsiotis (double bass), joins forces with Jykä Ahola for a unique tribute to the legendary jazz vocalist Helen Merrill.
Starting time: 21:30
Saturday 28/11 | Jazzet Music Hall
Shadow & Light Quartet:
Jykä Ahola (trumpet), Stefanos Kozanis (piano), Dimitris Bikos (double bass), and Evangelia Stavrou (drums).
A dynamic tribute to jazz trumpet masters Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, and Roy Hargrove.
Starting time: 21:30
A music-packed November lies ahead, along with additional events to be announced throughout the month. Support live music — we look forward to seeing you at the venues!
OdeSeas live @Alogokrito — The Journey Continues in Pagkrati
Just a few days before entering the studio to record the album, the music project "OdeSeas" by composer and pianist Stefanos Kozanis makes a stop for an atmospheric live performance at "Alogokrito" boîte, a beloved artistic spot in Pagkrati, on Thursday, October 29 at 21:30.
OdeSeas (Ode + Seas) is a contemporary musical ode to the seas of the Mediterranean; an "Odyssey" for solo piano, inspired by the Homeric epic, the seas crossed by the mythical hero, and the archetypal female figures he encountered along his way.
In his first solo piano work, the composer turns the piano into a "vessel" sailing through the liquid element. The suite consists of 11 parts (one for Odysseus and ten for his years of wandering), mapping 5 seas and 5 women who marked his return journey. Stefanos Kozanis' musical idiom combines classical piano literature with the freedom of jazz and improvisation, coloring the result with the light of the Mediterranean.
Joining the performance is Christina Politou, who gives voice to the stories narrated by the music through her own texts. Her narration elevates the work from the mythical to the human and psychological level, creating a warm dialogue where word and sound become one.
Friends who join us at "Alogokrito" will have the unique opportunity to experience the musical world of OdeSeas up close, and even "participate" in the album's preparation, as the energy and vibes of this live evening will be carried directly into the upcoming recording sessions.
Credits:
- Stefanos Kozanis: Composition, piano
- Christina Politou: Texts, narration
Event Info:
- 📅 Date: Thursday, October 29, 2026
- 🕒 Time: 21:30
- 📍 Venue: "Alogokrito" Boîte (Ekalis 7, Pagkrati)
- 📞 Reservations: +30 212 105 2342
- 🎟️ Admission: €7
- 🥤 Minimum Consumption: €5
Aeschylus’ “Persae”: 2nd Year at Fournos Theatre & Digital Release
Following its initial run, the theatrical production “Aeschylus — Persae”, directed and performed by Phaedon Kastris, returns to Fournos Theatre for a 2nd season.
Starting Wednesday, 14 October 2026 for a limited run of 8 performances (every Wednesday), the stage transforms into a crypt-chapel beside the tomb of Darius, hosting a ritualistic "liturgical sequence" of the sufferings of the Persians. Advance tickets are available through TicketServices.
The original music, composed by Stefanos Kozanis, was recorded at Artracks Recording Studios by George Priniotakis, featuring Nektarios Stamatelos (ney), Stefanos Kozanis (piano), Chrysostomos Boukalis (double bass), and Nikos Sidirokastritis (drums). The composition acts as an organic element of the ritual performance while standing as an autonomous work blending modern jazz with Greek and Eastern traditions.
The album is released via Jazz Breeze Records (artwork/poster by Viktor Melistas) and is available on YouTube, Bandcamp, as well as on all major digital music platforms.
Nassia Gofa & Stefanos Kozanis – Just Jazzin' Around · Live @ Spiti Art Bar
Jazz vocalist Nassia Gofa and pianist-composer Stefanos Kozanis, having already established a five-year journey with their ensemble Nassia Gofa & The Jazz Tales in Greece and abroad, launch a new, more personal collaboration in a duo format.
On Thursday, September 15th, they present their project "Just Jazzin' Around" at Spiti Art Bar. With jazz as their core and a flair for creative exploration, the duo reimagines beloved jazz standards, while seamlessly weaving familiar rock and Greek songs into the jazz idiom.
An evening dedicated to direct musical dialogue, improvisation, and authentic soundscapes, inviting the audience on a journey full of rhythm and emotion.
Spiti Art Bar
• Eupatridon 7, Athens, Greece, 118 54
• General admission for the event: €12 contribution in support of P.O.K.E. (includes beer / wine / soft drink)
• Our place is self service, general admission for the live acts and minimum consumption are paid at the bar.
Facebook: inbox our page
https://www.facebook.com/spitikerameikos/
Email: spitikerameikos@gmail.com
Kostas Vlachos Quartet feat. Miguel Navarro Live at Spiti Art Bar
Wednesday, September 30, 21:30, live at Spiti Art Bar. The quartet will present a setlist combining their own original compositions and jazz standards, rooted in various subgenres of jazz. At the core of their performance is creative musical interaction and improvisation. Joining them throughout the concert is saxophonist Miguel Navarro.
- Kostas Vlachos: trombone
- Miguel Navarro: tenor sax
- Stefanos Kozanis: piano
- Pauline Zina: double bass
- Anestis Andriotis: drums
Spiti Art Bar
• Eupatridon 7, Athens, Greece, 118 54
• General admission for the event: €12 contribution in support of P.O.K.E. (includes beer / wine / soft drink)
• Our place is self service, general admission for the live acts and minimum consumption are paid at the bar.
Facebook: inbox our page
https://www.facebook.com/spitikerameikos/
Email: spitikerameikos@gmail.com
Kostas Vlachos Quartet Live at Spiti Art Bar
Sunday, September 13, 21:30, live at Spiti Art Bar. The Kostas Vlachos Quartet presents its initial original compositions alongside works by Stefanos Kozanis.
- Kostas Vlachos: trombone
- Stefanos Kozanis: piano
- Pauline Zina: double bass
- Anestis Andriotis: drums
Spiti Art Bar
• Eupatridon 7, Athens, Greece, 118 54
• General admission for the live acts: 7 euros for the purposes of P.O.K.E.
• Minimum consumption of 4 euros.
• Our place is self service, general admission for the live acts and minimum consumption are paid at the bar.
Facebook: inbox our page
https://www.facebook.com/spitikerameikos/
Email: spitikerameikos@gmail.com
Launching the New Artistic Season 2026–27
After a refreshing summer, I wish you all a wonderful and creative 2026–27 season, filled with health and music! Here is an overview of the upcoming events and projects already scheduled for the new artistic season:
- Starting Wednesday, October 14, and for 8 performances, Aeschylus' Persians (directed by and starring Phaedon Kastris) returns to Fournos Theater for its second year. The play features my original stage score, recorded with Nektarios Stamatelos (ney), Chrysostomos Boukalis (double bass), Nikos Sidirokastritis (drums), and myself on piano. The soundtrack is available on all major streaming platforms. Tickets are available via Ticket Services.
- In November, recording begins for my new project, "ODESEAS – A Musical Quest Through Seas and Female Figures of the Odyssey", a solo piano suite set for release in mid-January 2027. Prior to recording, a live performance will take place in late October featuring Christina Politou, who authored and narrates the spoken text. Further performance dates and updates will be posted regularly on my website and at odeseas.com.
- Continuing a 4-year tradition this November, Finnish trumpeter and composer Jykä Ahola returns for a series of concerts in Greece. I will be performing on 4 dates: Nov 14 at Concerto Cafe Artistic, Nov 20 at Theatre of the No, Nov 26 at Spiti Art Bar, and Nov 28 at Jazzet Music Hall. Notably, our concert on Nov 20 at Theatre of the No will feature original compositions by both Jykä and myself, which we will record alongside Chrysostomos Boukalis (double bass) and Nikos Sidirokastritis (drums) for an upcoming album release in 2027.
It’s shaping up to be a full and exciting season, with more updates to follow. See you at the live shows!
A Magical Night in Chalandri for International Jazz Day
The celebrations of the Municipality of Chalandri for International Jazz Day culminated yesterday, April 30th, at the city's central square. It was an exceptional event, with the square packed with an audience that lived and breathed every moment of the performance.
It was a great joy for us to participate in this celebration, which provided the perfect opportunity to introduce our newly formed duo: "Just Jazzin' Around", featuring Nassia Gofa on vocals and Stefanos Kozanis on piano.
In just a few days, on Saturday, May 9th, our duo will perform at Concerto Cafe Artistic with an extended program, and we look forward to seeing you there!
We would like to warmly thank the organizers and the Municipality of Chalandri, as well as Spyros Lefkofrydis, whose personal initiative and dedication brought this wonderful celebration to life. We hope for more initiatives like this in the future—giving a voice to diverse musical genres, supporting artists, and providing us with the opportunity to present the music we love to a wider audience.
✨ See you on May 9th at Concerto!
Nassia Gofa & Stefanos Kozanis – Just Jazzin' Around · Live @ Concerto Cafe Artistic
Jazz vocalist Nassia Gofa and pianist-composer Stefanos Kozanis, having already established a five-year journey with their ensemble Nassia Gofa & The Jazz Tales in Greece and abroad, launch a new, more personal collaboration in a duo format.
On Saturday, May 9th, they present their project "Just Jazzin' Around" at Concerto Cafe Artistic. With jazz as their core and a flair for creative exploration, the duo reimagines beloved jazz standards, while seamlessly weaving familiar rock and Greek songs into the jazz idiom.
An evening dedicated to direct musical dialogue, improvisation, and authentic soundscapes, inviting the audience on a journey full of rhythm and emotion.
Event Information:
📅 Date: Saturday, May 9, 2026
🕒 Start Time: 21:30
📍 Venue: Concerto Cafe Artistic (Mayer 18, Athens 104 38)
📞 Reservations: +30 210 524 3330
🎟️ Admission: 8€
Nassia Gofa & Stefanos Kozanis: "Just Jazzin' Around" at the International Jazz Day Festival Chalandri
We are delighted to participate in the official celebration of International Jazz Day (UNESCO), on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at 20:00, at the Central Square of Chalandri! The newly formed duo of Nassia Gofa (vocals) and Stefanos Kozanis (piano) presents the project "Just Jazzin’ Around". Focusing on jazz while embracing creative expansions, the duo reimagines beloved jazz standards through original arrangements and beyond.
This year, Chalandri connects Greece with one of the most significant international cultural institutions, under the auspices of UNESCO and artistic director Herbie Hancock. The festival places Greece on the global map of over 190 countries celebrating the music of freedom, creativity, and intercultural dialogue.
Our performance is part of the festival's grand finale, on an evening where the stage will host groups and artists at the forefront of the Greek jazz scene, highlighting the power of improvisation and musical communication.
Event Details:
📍 Venue: Central Square of Chalandri (Kentrki Plateia)
📅 Date: Thursday, April 30, 2026, at 20:00
🎟️ Admission: Free
🔗 More Information: Festival Program
Aeschylus’ “Persae” at SPITI Art Bar – First Live Presentation of the Music - Sunday, March 29
The music composed by Stefanos Kozanis for the theatrical production “Aeschylus’ Persae – A Rite, Prayer and Service of the Passions of the Persians”, directed and performed by Phaedon Kastris, will be presented live for the first time at SPITI Art Bar.
Following its recent digital release, the musicians from the original recording —Nektarios Stamatelos (ney), Stefanos Kozanis (piano), Chrysostomos Boukalis (double bass), and Nikos Siderokastritis (drums)— bring the work's unique soundscape to the stage. This is a mystical fusion of traditional ney sounds with the universal language of jazz, attempting to bring the listener closer to our own "Salamis."
Phaedon Kastris himself will be present during the evening, giving us the opportunity to share thoughts on the "Rite" performed at Fourno Theatre (where performances continue every Wednesday until April 22). A special gathering where music converses with the spirit of the play, dedicated to us—the "Persians" of this world—through inspiration and spirituality.
SPITI Art Bar
7 Eupatridon St., Kerameikos
Sunday, March 29, 2026 – starts at 21:30
Entrance: 7€ – Minimum consumption: 4€
Nassia Gofa & The Jazz Tales – From Herkyna And Beyond ft. Max Hacker Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 21:30 | Half Note Jazz Club
Following performances in Seville, Spain, appearances at festivals across Greece, and a long-standing and consistent presence in the field of vocal jazz, with numerous collaborations with leading musicians of the scene, Nassia Gofa returns to the stage of the Half Note Jazz Club on Wednesday, March 18.
Together with The Jazz Tales, she presents music from the album “Herkyna – Nassia Gofa & The Jazz Tales – From Darkness to Light” (compositions by Stefanos Kozanis, music, and lyrics by Karina Ruby), along with new, previously unreleased compositions and selected pieces from the wider jazz repertoire. Expanding the material and the form of the program “beyond Herkyna,” the performance unfolds through new improvisational and compositional directions.
The special guest of the evening will be Berlin-based saxophonist Max Hacker. Max Hacker lived and studied jazz in New York City during the 1990s, before returning to his hometown, where he has since become an active member of the contemporary European jazz scene. He has released three albums as a leader on In&Out Records, all of which have received highly positive critical acclaim, while his music is distinguished by a strong personal identity and a deep connection to the jazz tradition.
Nassia Gofa was born and raised in Athens. She studied at the Department of Geology of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, specializing in Paleontology; however, she was soon drawn to her enduring passion for music. In 2000, she began her studies at the jazz department of the Athenaeum Conservatory “Maria Callas,” under the guidance of Sylvio Syrró and Sofia Noiti, from which she graduated with a diploma in jazz singing. At the same time, she attended seminars and workshops with important figures of the jazz world, such as Miles Griffith, Cameron Brown, and Sheila Jordan, and has also been trained in the Voicecraft vocal technique. Significant milestones in her artistic journey include her performance in 2016 at the Neimenster concert venue in Luxembourg, as well as her participation in the role of Jocasta in the contemporary opera “Oedipus – Sex with mum was blinding” by Elli Papakonstantinou, with music by Tilemachos Moussas, presented at BAM Fisher in Brooklyn, New York. The continuation of the work was presented in March 2021 under the title “Hotel AntiOedipus.”
Line-up
- Nassia Gofa – vocals
- Max Hacker – saxophone (special guest)
- Thomas Mitroussis – guitar
- Stefanos Kozanis – piano, original compositions
- Kostas Patsiotis – double bass
- Anastasios Gouliaris – drums
Info
NASSIA GOFA & THE JAZZ TALES – From Herkyna And Beyond
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Start time: 21:30
Half Note Jazz Club
17 Trivonianou St., Mets
Tel. +30 210 9213310
Tickets: more.com, prices: from €12
Aeschylus’ “Persae” – Performances – The Music Is Released
Aeschylus’ “Persae” – Performances – The Music Is Released
On December 29, 2025, the premiere of Aeschylus’ “Persae” took place, directed and performed by Phaedon Kastris. The performances run every Monday and Tuesday until February 3, 2026, at the Fournos Theatre. The music of the production was released on January 1, 2026 and is available on YouTube, Bandcamp as well as on all major digital music platforms.
The music was created as an organic and dramaturgical element of the performance, engaging in dialogue with the poetic text and the stage action, while at the same time standing as an autonomous listening work. The compositional material moves within the field of contemporary jazz, enriched with strong elements of Greek and Eastern tradition, and is based on the combination of ney and jazz piano trio, following a ritualistic, almost “liturgical” trajectory that reflects the sufferings of the Persians.
The musicians featured are Stefanos Kozanis (piano, composition), Nektarios Stamatelos (ney), Chrysostomos Boukalis (double bass), and Nikos Sidirokastritis (drums). Recording, mixing, and mastering were carried out by George Priniotakis at Artracks Recording Studios, while both the performance poster and the release artwork were designed by Viktor Melistas. The release was made with the support of Jazz Breeze Records.
Asterismyth – Music About the Constellations and Mythical Figures at Half Note Jazz Club
On Wednesday, November 26 2025, Asterismyth performed at the historic Half Note Jazz Club, one of the city's most important music venues, presenting their live project to a warm and enthusiastic audience. The ensemble, performing the original compositions of Stefanos Kozanis, offered a complete musical narrative inspired by constellations and mythical figures, presenting a suite of 12 works performed in continuous flow. The performance combined the creative freedom of jazz with elements of classical music and Greek tradition, while incorporating poetry, narration, and song, delivering an artistic experience of high aesthetic quality where composition and improvisation coexisted organically.
Performers:
- Katerina Konstantinou – vocals, narration, lyrics
- Dimitris Margaritis – violin, poetry
- Stefanos Kozanis – piano, composition
- Kostas Patsiotis – double bass
- Nikos Siderokastritis – drums
A highlight of the evening was the special and friendly participation of Finnish trumpeter Jykä Ahola, who added a distinctive lyricism with his clear, bright lines and inspired improvisational solos, playing a key role in the overall atmosphere of the concert. Among other contributions, Jykä performed on the premiere of the new composition “Pisces”, with music by Stefanos Kozanis and lyrics/vocals by Katerina Konstantinou, adding a unique character to the piece.
The evening concluded in a warm and intimate atmosphere, with the audience responding enthusiastically to the work of Asterismyth. Upcoming performances of the ensemble in Greece and abroad are already being planned.
Recording of the Music for the Production “Aeschylus — Persae”
On Monday, 24 November 2025 the recording of the music for the production "Aeschylus — Persae", directed and performed by Phaedon Kastris, took place.
The sessions were held at Artracks Studios, with sound engineering and audio production by George Priniotakis.
The music, composed by Stefanos Kozanis, was performed by the ensemble of:
- Nektarios Stamatelos — ney
- Stefanos Kozanis — piano
- Chrysostomos Boukalis — double bass
- Nikos Sidirokastritis — drums
Performances will begin on 29 December at the Fournos Theatre. Advance ticket sales are already available through TicketServices.
The music blends elements of modern jazz with motifs from Greek and Eastern musical traditions. It is scheduled for release as an album on New Year’s Day 2026.