One of the most distinctive contemporary tenor saxophonists, Seamus Blake, winner of the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition, comes to Sofia as the special guest of bassist Vasil Hadjigrudev’s quartet.
On 15 and 16 October, Vasil Hadjigrudev presents his quartet in two consecutive exclusive concerts as part of In The Mood Jazz Club’s international programme. The line-up features guitarist Alexander Logozarov and drummer Borislav Petrov, with the special participation of internationally acclaimed Canadian tenor saxophonist and composer Seamus Blake.
Especially for the In The Mood audience, the four musicians will present a programme featuring some of their most compelling original compositions alongside a carefully selected collection of jazz standards.
“Extraordinary, a total saxophonist.”
— John Scofield
Born in England, raised in Vancouver and shaped professionally in New York, Seamus Blake has spent more than three decades helping define the language of contemporary jazz.
His tenor sound is both rich and exceptionally nuanced; his phrasing is free-flowing, expansive and melodic, with the rare ability to ensure that virtuosity never overshadows the story. Blake can move from a powerful, almost explosive sound to a deeply lyrical tone without ever losing his distinctive musical identity. This combination of technical freedom, harmonic imagination and lyricism has made him one of the most recognisable tenor saxophonists of his generation.
“He had the most beautiful sound, incredible lyricism, total command of harmony, incredible time.”
— Joshua Redman
In 2002, Seamus Blake won first prize at the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition, one of the world’s most prestigious international jazz competitions. The award was presented by a remarkable jury comprising Wayne Shorter, Joshua Redman, George Coleman, Don Braden and James Spaulding. His victory brought him onto the same stage as Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock.
“Graceful, convoluted lyricism.”
— JazzTimes
Behind these words stands a career that is difficult to capture in just a few names. Blake is a long-standing member of the Mingus Big Band and has appeared on six of the ensemble’s Grammy-nominated albums. He was a member of John Scofield’s Quiet Band and has recorded and performed with Antonio Sánchez, Dave Douglas, Bill Stewart and Kurt Rosenwinkel. His collaborators also include Michael and Randy Brecker, Pat Metheny, Joe Lovano, Kenny Barron, Brad Mehldau, Jack DeJohnette, Brian Blade, Al Foster, Joshua Redman and many other defining figures in contemporary jazz. In recent years, he has also toured with Roger Waters of Pink Floyd.
Critics have consistently highlighted not only his virtuosity, but also his ability to create a complete musical narrative. His live album Live in Italy received 4.5 stars from DownBeat, while over the years Blake has built an impressive discography as a bandleader, composer and one of the most sought-after musicians in contemporary jazz. In 2026, he presents his latest project, dedicated to the music of Eddie Harris, opening yet another direction within an artistic world that never remains confined to a single sound.
Joining him on stage is Vasil Hadjigrudev, a double bassist, composer and one of the most active and adventurous musicians on Bulgaria’s contemporary jazz scene.
His musical 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. It was in the Netherlands that his interest in free improvisation deepened under the influence of Michael Moore, Misha Mengelberg, Han Bennink and Wilbert de Joode, some of the leading figures of the European improvised music scene.
This experience gradually became the foundation of his own musical language, in which composition, improvisation and a distinctly Bulgarian musical sensibility remain in constant dialogue. In 2015, Hadjigrudev settled in Málaga, where he taught at EMMDAT, worked with various international ensembles and recorded his first album as a bandleader, Hako Trios. In 2022, he also completed a master’s degree in classical double bass at New Bulgarian University.
Over the years, this broad musical outlook has found expression in a wide range of projects, from Hadjiorkestar and Space Trio to the international Hako’s Trios, the Milcho Leviev Forever project and his unconventional duo with gadulka player Hristina Beleva. In his original album Sextet, his interest in different musical traditions comes into even sharper focus, as Bulgarian rhythms and melodic sensibility meet the language of jazz.
Together with guitarist Alexander Logozarov and drummer Borislav Petrov, Hadjigrudev and Blake form a quartet in which all four instruments play an equal role.
Vasil Hadjigrudev Quartet in two exclusive concerts featuring 100% jazz.