• Ivo Papazov was born in Kurdzhali on the 16 February 1952. He was only nine years old when he first got involved with music. At first he learned the accordion, but in line with his family tradition he moved on to the clarinet. His family came from Dedeagach, then part of it moved to Dzhebel and from there to Kurdzhali. His great grandfathers were zurna players, but his grandfather became the first clarinet player in Thrace. His father and his musician colleagues were so impressed by the mastery and skills which Ivo showed as he taught himself the clarinet that they sent him to a children’s music school with the clarinetist Peter Filipov. But his real school turned out to be the multitude of weddings where Ivo went with his father, and where he learned to master the instrument and develop his virtuoso technique. At the same time, he studied at the school of construction in Kurdzhali. In 1974, when he was only 22 years old, he formed his first band.
    (tags: newswire)
  • ATESHHAN YUSEINOV
    (guitar, tambura, saz, bouzouki)

    _Ateshhan Yuseinov is one of the most interesting guitar players, not only on the Balkan. With his unique technique which can be characterized by its fast rhythms and changes of the Balkan music and combined by improvisation in a very open way of playing he has aquired cult status. Apart from the guitar Yuseinov is famous for his multi-instrumental skills. He is equally in command of playing the tambura as well as the saz.

    (tags: newswire)