Bulgarian violinist, singer, and actress Emanuela Kalcheva-Djaima presented a rendition of the Bulgarian folk dance Gankino Horo at the Jazz Society of Egypt’s International Jazz Day concert on April 30. Djaima described her approach to music, stating, “My jazz is a fusion with traditional music, whether Bulgarian or Romani. I always like to do something different, to enrich or leave my own musical imprint on something that already exists.”
She shared that performing Gankino Horo, which possesses a complex rhythm, had been a long-held aspiration.
The piece reminded her of her father’s advice from her childhood: to learn Bulgarian music if she wished to gain international recognition. Djaima reflected that while she initially disagreed, performing the piece later required a greater maturity to fully appreciate the advice. During the performance, Djaima collaborated with Amro Salah, founder of the Jazz Society of Egypt and the Cairo Jazz Festival, who has ties to Bulgaria, alongside Andre Segone on bass guitar and Fady Tawab Louis on drums.
The collaboration was described by the artist as inspiring and enjoyable for the Egypt-based musicians. The hall at Arkan Teatre in Cairo responded to the Gankino Horo with strong applause. Djaima explained the nature of her performance, noting that while jazz involves improvisation, it also requires precise elements.
She described the piece as a blend of “mathematical precision” due to the difficult 11/8 rhythm, alongside improvisation. After graduating from the National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts in Sofia, Djaima lived in Paris for nearly three decades before moving to Cairo during the pandemic to teach. She is currently involved in the trio Sacree Femmes, featuring American cellist Kira Weiss and Egyptian musician Safa El-Helaly, who plays the rababa.
Topics: #jazz #bulgarian #djaima
The blend of traditional Bulgarian folk music with jazz sounds like a unique and compelling musical fusion.
How does Djaima integrate Bulgarian folk traditions into a modern jazz context?