Bulgarian violinist, singer, and actress Emanuela Kalcheva-Djaima presented a performance of the Bulgarian folk dance Gankino Horo at the International Jazz Day concert on April 30, organized by the Jazz Society of Egypt. Djaima described her approach to jazz as a fusion genre, blending traditional music, including Bulgarian and Romani influences. She stated that her goal is to enrich existing musical forms with her unique contributions.
Djaima shared that performing Gankino Horo, known for its complex rhythm, had been a long-held ambition. She recalled a childhood piece of advice from her father to learn Bulgarian music if she wished to achieve international recognition. Performing the piece years later, she reflected that her father’s words proved accurate, requiring her own maturity to fully appreciate their meaning.
The performance featured Djaima alongside Amro Salah, founder of the Jazz Society of Egypt and the Cairo Jazz Festival, who has ties to Bulgaria, along with Andre Segone on bass guitar and Fady Tawab Louis on drums. The collaboration proved engaging for the Egyptian musicians. The audience at Arkan Teatre in Cairo responded with significant applause to the Gankino Horo.
The Bulgarian musician explained the nature of her performance, noting that while jazz requires improvisation, it also demands precise elements. She described the piece as a blend of “mathematical precision” due to the challenging 11/8 rhythm, alongside improvisation. Emanuela Kalcheva-Djaima, who trained at the National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts in Sofia, moved to Cairo from Paris during the pandemic to teach music.
She is currently involved in the trio Sacree Femmes, collaborating with Kira Weiss and Safa El-Helaly.
Topics: #jazz #bulgarian #djaima
The fusion of Bulgarian folk tradition with jazz sounds like a captivating performance.