Especially for jazz enthusiasts, on 19 and 20 November, In The Mood Jazz Club presents two exclusive concerts featuring internationally acclaimed trumpeter Alex Sipiagin and the trio of Bulgarian double bassist Vasil Hajigrudev, as part of the club’s international programme.
Over two consecutive evenings, In The Mood Jazz Club is delighted to welcome Alex Sipiagin to its stage for the first time – an outstanding trumpeter and composer who has contributed to Grammy-winning albums by two legends of contemporary jazz: American saxophonist Michael Brecker and British double bassist and bandleader Dave Holland.
Sipiagin is a prominent voice in contemporary post-bop – music that builds on the traditions of bebop and hard bop. Vasil Hajigrudev’s quartet features two leading figures on the Bulgarian jazz scene: the expressive pianist and composer Vasil Spassov and drummer Atanas Popov. The quartet will perform original compositions by Sipiagin, Hajigrudev and Spassov.
A trumpeter of exceptional technical skill, compelling stage presence and remarkable harmonic imagination, Alex Sipiagin has built his career among the elite of the New York jazz scene. Born in Yaroslavl and musically educated in Moscow, he settled in New York in the early 1990s, establishing himself as a highly regarded soloist and ensemble musician. His career includes work with the legendary Gil Evans Orchestra, the renowned Mingus Big Band, Mingus Dynasty and Mingus Orchestra, and Dave Holland’s big band, sextet and octet. His collaborators include world-renowned saxophonist Michael Brecker, virtuoso Cuban pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba, and distinguished pianists Mulgrew Miller and David Kikoski.
Sipiagin appears on several Grammy-winning albums, including Dave Holland Big Band’s What Goes Around and Overtime, and Michael Brecker Quindectet’s Wide Angles. Alongside these prestigious collaborations, he has built an impressive discography as a bandleader and composer, much of it released on the legendary Criss Cross Jazz label. His own albums feature Chris Potter, Adam Rogers, Scott Colley, Antonio Sánchez and other leading instrumentalists on the contemporary jazz scene. For Returning (2005), legendary guitarist Pat Metheny composed two pieces especially for the album – “Snova” and “Son of Thirteen”.
His playing brings together the brilliance and power of the trumpet and the velvety tone of the flugelhorn. Fast-moving, rhythmically charged lines give way to graceful lyrical phrases, while bold harmonic choices lend tension and unpredictability to his solos. The legacy of Woody Shaw and Freddie Hubbard finds a continuation in a distinctive personal approach that combines virtuosity, melodic invention and emotional conviction.
“The leader’s fluency and bravura high-note displays throughout are breathtaking.”
– Bill Milkowski, DownBeat, 2021
Sipiagin’s original music is modern jazz with rich harmonies, complex metres and a multilayered ensemble sound. Interwoven melodies and rhythmic turns create a vivid dramatic flow, while lyrical themes retain their immediacy even within the most intricate musical forms. Every instrument plays an essential role in shaping each piece, with the interaction between the musicians providing much of its energy and expression.
“With his own series of Criss Cross recordings, Sipiagin has proven himself an ever-evolving voice in what some are calling ‘the new mainstream.’”
– John Kelman, All About Jazz, 2005
Joining him is Vasil Hajigrudev – an outstanding double bassist, composer and driving force behind numerous jazz projects on the Bulgarian scene. A musician with broad musical knowledge and a keen sense of ensemble sound, he combines international experience with a deeply personal connection to Bulgarian musical traditions. His path took him to the Prince Claus Conservatoire in Groningen, where he studied jazz double bass and worked with musicians and mentors including Don Braden, David Berkman, Robin Eubanks and Alex Sipiagin himself. It was in the Netherlands that he broadened his artistic horizons through encounters with the experimental approaches of Michael Moore, Misha Mengelberg, Han Bennink and Wilbert de Joode – key figures on the European jazz scene.
In 2015, Hajigrudev settled in Málaga, where he taught at EMMDAT, performed with international ensembles and recorded his debut album as a bandleader, Hako Trios. His wide creative range is reflected in Hajiorchestra, Space Trio, Hako’s Trios, the “Milcho Leviev Forever” project, and his unusual duo with gadulka player Hristina Beleva. His album Sextet combines the richness of Bulgarian rhythms and melodies with sophisticated jazz harmony and original compositional thinking.
For the In The Mood audience, the four musicians are preparing a programme that explores the richness of contemporary acoustic jazz through compositions by Sipiagin, Hajigrudev and Spassov.
Two exclusive concerts of exceptional music, offering an intimate encounter with Alex Sipiagin’s virtuosity and magnetic stage presence.
Two evenings. Just 50 seats each night. For true jazz enthusiasts.