PERFORMANCE:Locus-Recollection-Landscape at Aias Palace in Salamis Island
Starting on July 11, the stepping stone for “Locus, Recollection, Landscape” series of Performances was Homer’s Salamis and the wider Kanakia area, with the participation of internationally acclaimed Greek jazz saxophonist, vocalist, composer & educator Dimitri Vassilakis that met his “Brother” from Brooklyn-New York, Craig Bailey, a top New Yorker Sax-Flute and Clarinet player, Academic at Cincinnati University, and Collaborator of Ray Charles, that he travelled in Greece for a limited number of performances.
The first part of “Locus, Recollection, Landscape” took place on a wooded hill overlooking the sea at Kanakia on Salamis’ Island southwestern coast and the ancient port, at the Palace of Aias (One of the top fighters in the legendary Greek army that besieged Troy to win back Helen, the abducted queen of Sparta. Described in Homer’s Iliad as a towering hero protected by a huge shield, Ajax killed himself after a quarrel with other Greek leaders), overlooking the Ancient Harbor.
The archaeologist Vangelis Kroustalis spoke to the viewers, about Aias, and the significance of his palace, a multi-story structure that covers 750 m2 and had perhaps 30 rooms), and its significance. Then the viewrs followed the endless course of the sun towards the west with the magic sound of Dimitris Vassilaki’s saxophone as a hymn to the place and its history…
We followed the same route, climbing down to the Ancient Harbor and the Beach where the Second Part of the Performance took place, with the two artists (Dimitris Vassilakis & Craig Bailey) weaved a Musical Performance, honoring and praising Space, Time, Place and Landscape, marrying Contemporary Art with Jazz and history…
The series of the performances will continue with different artists at different historical locations of the Island until October…
Starting on July 11, the stepping stone for “Locus, Recollection, Landscape” series of Performances was Homer’s Salamis and the wider Kanakia area, with the participation of internationally acclaimed Greek jazz saxophonist, vocalist, composer & educator Dimitri Vassilakis that met his “Brother” from Brooklyn-New York, Craig Bailey, a top New Yorker Sax-Flute and Clarinet player, Academic at Cincinnati University, and Collaborator of Ray Charles, that he travelled in Greece for a limited number of performances.
