Vicky Almazidou is a vocal phenomenon on the Balkans. She received her musical education at the State Music Academy in Sofia, “St. Cyril and St. Methodius” University of Veliko Tarnovo and the Academy of Music and Dance Art in Plovdiv. As а daughter of Greek immigrants, she combines the colours of Bulgarian and Greek musical art. Jazz – with its inseparable link to improvisation – has instilled in Vicky a sense and taste for syncretism. Her exceptional warmth and dedication lead her quite naturally to teaching. Vicky Almazidou founded the first jazz singing class in Greece 35 years ago at the “Contemporary Conservatory”in Thessaloniki. In life and professionally, since 2002 Vicky has been associated with the world famous Bulgarian jazzman Milcho Leviev. The fruit of their relationship are festivals, concerts, albums and master classes. After Maestro Leviev’s death, Vicky continued his mission to introduce young musicians to the standards of jazz. She has performed and recorded with Milcho Leviev, Billy Cobham, Peter Erskine, Airto Moreira, Glenn Ferris, Chico Freeman, Craig Bailey, David Murray, Francisco Mella, Anthony Donchev, Theodosii Spassov, G. Kontrafuris, Gregory Simadopulos, A. Donchev, P. Salchev, Valery Kostov, M. Stefanidis, L. Tzimkas and many others.
At the Bansko Jazz Festival ‘2024 Vicky Almazidou will present “The Divine (To Sarah with love) 100th Anniversary of the birth of Sarah Vaughan”.
“With her deep, powerful and highly dramatic voice and her musical aesthetic, Sarah Vaughan is my spiritual teacher,” says Vicky Almazidou. She dedicates her concert in Bansko to Sarah Vaughan.