Bulgarian violinist, singer, and actress Emanuela Kalcheva-Djaima recently presented a rendition of the traditional Bulgarian folk dance, Gankino Horo, during a concert celebrating International Jazz Day on April 30th, organized by the Jazz Society of Egypt. Djaima described her approach to music as a fusion, noting that her style blends traditional influences, including Bulgarian and Romani elements, with jazz. She stated her goal is to enrich existing musical forms with her own artistic imprint.
Performing Gankino Horo, which she found rhythmically complex, held personal significance for the artist. She reflected on an early piece of advice from her father regarding the importance of learning Bulgarian music to gain international recognition, an insight she felt confirmed upon performing the piece years later. For the performance, Djaima collaborated with Amro Salah, a pianist and composer connected to Bulgaria and the founder of the Jazz Society of Egypt, alongside Andre Segone on bass guitar and Fady Tawab Louis on drums.
The collaboration was noted as inspiring for the Egyptian musicians involved. The packed hall at Arkan Teatre in Cairo responded to the performance with significant applause. Djaima explained that her performance style focuses on openness, allowing her to react to the musical moment.
She characterized the piece as a blend of mathematical precision—due to the challenging 11/8 rhythm—and improvisation, core elements of jazz. A graduate of the National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts in Sofia, Djaima has lived in Paris for nearly three decades before relocating to Cairo during the pandemic to teach music. Currently, she is involved in the trio Sacree Femmes, collaborating with American cellist Kira Weiss and Egyptian musician Safa El-Helaly.
Topics: #jazz #bulgarian #djaima
The blending of traditional Bulgarian folk music with a jazz celebration sounds like a unique cultural experience.