KAMELIA TODOROVA & KONSTANTIN KOSTOV trio, Bulgaria
Kamelia Todorova – vocal
Konstantin Kostov – piano
Dimitar Semov – drums
Mihail Ivanov – double bass
Kamelia Todorova always brings to Bansko Jazz Festival something fresh for her audience – this year she has prepared new versions of beloved jazz standards in a modern way!!!
Kamelia Todorova is one of the most accomplished vocal performers in Bulgaria. She played a great role in the popularization of the art of jazz in Bulgaria. She grew up in a musical family surrounded by the enormous record collection at home. She started singing on stage while pursuing an acting career with the experimental theatre group 4+4. Then she went on to study singing at the National Musical Academy in Sofia and soon started to perform with alot of exquisite Bulgarian jazz musicians including Lyudmil Georgiev, Simeon Shterev, Mario Stanchev, Theodosii Stoykov. She has recorded many songs with the Bulgarian National Radio’s Big band under Vili Kazassian; she has made several unforgettable appearances in the cinema; she has performed and has won awards at festivals in Germany, Austria, Denmark, Poland, Slovenia, Italy, Greece, India, England, the USA. She has collaborated on stage with jazz legends such as Don Cherry, Albert Mangelsdorf, Stan Getz’s trio, Charlie Mingus; she has improvised together with Sarah Vaughan, Billy Preston, Louis Bellson. She still performs with high-profile jazz musicians in Bulgaria – Antoni Donchev, Roumen Toskov, Milen Kukosharov, Theodossi Spassov and thus far is dubbed the Grand Dame of Bulgarian jazz.
After graduating with flying colors from the Bulgarian Academy of Music, Konstantin Kostov studied at the Munich Musical Academy in the piano class of prof. Leonid Chizhik and as of 2008 Konstantin teaches piano there himself. He has performed at many major festivals in Europe and Asia. Konstantin has 4 CDs as a soloist and many albums recorded with other musicians. Konstantin has collaborated on stage with world-famous musicians like Gregory Porter and the American percussionist Roby Ameen.
Dimitar Semov is among the most sought-after jazz drummers in Bulgaria. His versatility made him part of the musical projects of leading Bulgarian pop singers such as Lili Ivanova, Orlin Goranov, Beloslava, Maria Ilieva, bands like Ostava, PIF, Sunrise, Ken Hensley and even crossover concerts like the ones with the world-famous violinist Vasko Vassilev. In the jazz world, Dimitar Semov has played live and recorded with Milcho Leviev, Antoni Donthev, Mario Stanchev, Vassil Petrov, Miroslava Katsarova, to name a few. As a member of the Jivko Petrov’s trio (JPS), Dimitar Semov has participated in a number of collaborations with preeminent musicians – Sara Brightman, Omar Faruk, Zucchero, etc. Audiences at certain notable forums have seen him performing with Frank McComb, Glenn Ferris, George Garzone.
Mihail Ivanov lived in Amsterdam for 12 years. Besides, he was a resident of Rome for 2 years and lived in Mumbai, India for a while. Several years ago, he decided to move back to Bulgaria where he has played with Antony Dontchev, Vassil Spassov, Martin Lyubenov, Theodosii Spassov. Internationally, Mihail Ivanov has collaborated with Bodurov Trio in Amsterdam, Blazin’ Quartet, and with East trio in Rome.