“HERKYNA” by Nassia Gofa & The Jazz Tales

Writer: Manthos Giourtzoglou
Date: June 6, 2023

Translation and editing: Karina Rubinstein

For those who follow the Greek jazz scene, the news of the release of the first personal album of the jazz singer/performer Nassia Gofa is more than a reason for joy and excitement. It is something that has been awaited for years by all those who have been following for 15 years this strong, absolutely emotional, totally “pure” jazz voice within the Athenian jazz community, a singer about whom we have often wondered – until now- why she only had individual recordings and participations in her portfolio.

Vocal jazz recording is a problem for the local jazz community in general, as the number of performers who have albums of their own, can be counted on the fingers of one hand, at a time when instrumental recordings are booming. With “HERKYNA”, Nassia Gofa, one of the most important figures and voices of vocal jazz in our country, joins this select list.

Nassia Gofa’s first personal album takes its name from the ancient nymph Herkyna, the friend of Persephone (the two of them are illustrated on the wonderful CD cover), from whom the river in Livadeia, one of the few rivers in our country that bears a female name, also took its name. The area is the place of origin of the performer’s mother. Having not visited Livadeia for many years, when she did, she essentially closed one circle of life while opening a new one.

Τhere are nine compositions in the album, of which eight are original, written by pianist/composer Stefanos Kozanis and lyricist Karina Rubinstein, except for track #1 on which the lyrics are by Myrto Kokkalia. Three tracks of the album were also featured in the soundtrack of the musical/adaptation of the graphic novel “Musicoma” by Maria Olia Ntakoyianni, for which Kozanis and Rubinstein co-wrote the music & lyrics, laying the foundations of their collaboration. The only cover is “What is this thing they call love”.

Jazz Tales started working as a trio with Nassia Gofa, Stefanos Kozanis and double bassist Kostas Patsiotis, in 2021 creating a sensual group that initially fermented through concerts, while at the same time they began working on original songs until now and the 2023 release of “HERKYNA”.

The album is essentially a transition from darkness to light, through a collection of short stories of love, loss, nostalgia and dreams, a complex of emotions rendered sometimes tenderly, sometimes “playfully”, sometimes lyrically by Gofa’s voice that distinctly emerges in each track, supporting -in the best possible way- the stories of Rubinstein (who has novels and other lyrics to her credit and we hope that this album is only the occasion for her further involvement with jazz singing) and the music of Kozani, who has for long been a “well-kept secret” of the Athenian jazz community, a musician who has the jazz feeling in him, both in composition and in playing.

From the first hearing, we distinguished the most melancholic tracks of the album (“Striking Distance”, “This is Not Farewell”, the instrumental “Lament” as well as “Waltz for Sophia” and “Two Steps Before”) and we imagined seeing Nassia performing them live in front of us with the usual passion and inwardness that characterizes her.

A surprise awaited us at the finale of the album, with the poem by Constantine Cavafy “Che fece …. il gran rifiuto” which is recited by Gofa in Doric style with the simple accompaniment of Stephanos Kozani on the piano. A purely symbolic ending, with a poem that reflects respect for the people who had the guts to say “Big NO’S” in their lives.

Apart from The Jazz Tales trio, the album also features Anastasis Gouliaris on the drums, who together with Patsiotis, apart from being great units as musicians make a duo rhythm section feel like a caress, Thomas Mitrousis with his guitar who lifts up the tracks in which he participates and the great Gilad Atzmon on saxophone on one track. The British well-traveled musician and resident of Athens for the last three years, immediately picked out Nassia Gofa’s voice and does not spare himself in praising her and often plays with her.

The album was released on June 10, 2023 digitally and as a physical CD with a 16 page booklet.

The links can be found here:

https://herkyna.com

CD Cover-Artwork: Viktor Lighton Illustrator