Bulgarian violinist, singer, and actress Emanuela Kalcheva-Djaima presented a rendition of the Bulgarian folk dance Gankino Horo at the International Jazz Day concert on April 30th, hosted by the Jazz Society of Egypt. Djaima described her approach to music, stating, “Jazz is an eclectic genre with many different currents. My jazz is a fusion with traditional music, whether Bulgarian or Romani.” She expressed a desire to continually evolve her artistry.
Djaima shared that performing Gankino Horo, due to its complex rhythm, was a long-held ambition. Reflecting on her journey, she recalled her father’s advice to pursue Bulgarian music for global recognition. “When I performed this piece, when I stepped onto the stage so many years later, I told myself: my father was right, I just needed more maturity to understand it,” she stated.
For the performance, Djaima collaborated with Amro Salah, founder of the Jazz Society of Egypt and Cairo Jazz Festival, who has ties to Bulgaria, alongside Andre Segone on bass and Fady Tawab Louis on drums. The Egyptian musicians found the collaboration engaging. The audience at Arkan Teatre in Cairo responded to the Gankino Horo with significant applause.
Djaima explained that her performance style requires balancing spontaneous reaction with technical exactitude. “Jazz involves a lot of improvisation, but at the same time there are very precise elements that must happen,” she noted, referencing the challenging 11/8 rhythm. A graduate of 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 music.
She is currently involved in the trio Sacree Femmes, featuring collaborations with American cellist Kira Weiss and Egyptian musician Safa El-Helaly, who plays the traditional rababa.
Topics: #jazz #bulgarian #djaima
It was fascinating to hear such a traditional Bulgarian piece interpreted in a jazz setting.