About

Short Bio

With three albums under their belt, Trio Tekke has continued to forge their own take on Rebetiko. From their early days of re-arranging traditional songs on 'Ta Reggetika' (2009) through to the sonic explorations and original compositions of 'Samas' (2011), Trio Tekke has been a vehicle of musical exploration for long time colleagues Antonis Antoniou, Lefteris Moumtzis and Colin Somervell. 2016 brought a collaboration with Dave De Rose (Rokia Traore, Mark Ronson, Mulatu Astatke) on drums, giving a new direction and depth to their sound. Louder, punchier and guaranteed to keep you on your feet, they have raised the roof in their first few outings as a quartet. From their performances at Jazz a Vienne and Fengaros Music Festival came a desire to write and record a new set of songs, featured on their latest release 'ZIVO'.

 

Long Bio

Trio Tekke was formed in London in November 2005 by Antonis Antoniou (tzouras, vocals), Lefteris Moumtzis (guitar, vocals) and Colin Somervell (double bass). After a long study and contact with the Rebetiko song of the era of Markos Vamvakaris, the two Cypriots began to experiment in applying the Rebetiko in more contemporary ways of expression, in an attempt to include other elements of their musical palettes. With the addition of the talented Anglo-Chilean Colin Somervell on double bass, things took an interesting and very creative turn, leading them to the development of an original and particularly fresh sound that they call "Reggetika", blending various characteristics (rhythm, harmony and improvisation) of idioms such as Reggae, Latin and Jazz, with the colour and the melodic lines of Rebetiko. Their first album 'Ta Reggetika', (recorded with a couple of microphones in a bedroom), captured this essence in all its rawness. With their quirky rearrangements of some of the classic Rebetiko repertoire, they won over audiences across Europe and the album soon became a ‘cult’ recording. In 2011 they released their second album, 'Samas', which earned them a nomination in the 2012 Songlines Music Awards for ‘Best Newcomer’, the World Music Network's Battle of the Bands award as well as ‘Album of the Month’ in Ihos Magazine. Samas also reached a wider audience through broadcasts and live performances on BBC Radio 3, Sveriges Radio, ERT, Radio Arvila and their shows at festivals across UK and Europe. Due to geographical distance and other musical projects, the band took a 2-year hiatus, but found themselves regrouped after an impromptu jam session with drummer Dave De Rose. Dave has been the backbone behind many outfits such as Moloko, Mark Ronson, Rokia Traore and Mulatu Astatke, to name only a few. The strength in his groove and the depth of his sound, as well as his masterful grasp of music from across continents make him one of the most sought after drummers today, and a perfect fit for this new chapter in Trio Tekke’s journey. After a triumphant debut performance at Jazz a Vienne, a new album of original material was released in 2017 titled Zivo. An album that received an international acclaim and gave to the band a new dynamic presence in the circle of 'World Music".