Sokratis Sinopoulos & Yann Keerim Duo
Presenting their new ECM Records duo album "Topos"
Sokratis and Yann, through their longstanding collaboration in the “Sokratis Sinopoulos Quartet”, have created common codes of musical communication based on their shared aesthetic for the re-approach of musical traditions. Their duet is characterized both by a rare and innovative combination of musical instruments, the lyra and the piano, and by a creative combination of different musical cultures.
The medieval musical traditions of the Mediterranean and Europe, Byzantine music, classical, jazz and contemporary music are intertwined and assimilated in the diversity of Sokratis Sinopoulos’s and Yann Keerim’s compositions, as well as in the interactive improvisations of the two musicians, which form the special acoustic character of this duo. In the project “Topos”, the two musicians present a new interpretation of Béla Bartók’s “Six Romanian Folk Dances”.
They deconstruct and recompose the musical material, illuminate the melodic, rhythmic and harmonic patterns that constitute it, and develop them through improvisation, creating connections with the musical traditions of the Balkans and Eastern Europe, as well as contemporary music. Through this process, Sokratis Sinopoulos and Yann Keerim are led to the creation of a complete work of full concert length, which also includes musical themes composed by the two musicians, echoing Béla Bartók’s Romanian dances. The “Topos” album was released in October 2025 by ECM Records (ECM 2847).
Sokratis Sinopoulos – lyra
Greek musician Sokratis Sinopoulos is a contemporary master of the lyra, a bowed instrument that dates back to the Byzantine era. His playing is delicate and nuanced yet highly expressive, and his proficiency on the instrument has been widely acclaimed. Sinopoulos has collaborated with numerous musicians throughout the world. He is equally comfortable crossing genre boundaries into jazz and classical music as he is staying true to the folk traditions of Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean. In 2010, he formed the Sokratis Sinopoulos Quartet with pianist Yann Keerim, bassist Dimitris Tsekouras and drummer Dimitris Emmanouil. The quartet’s two albums, “Eight Winds” and “Metamodal”, were produced by Manfred Eicher for ECM Records and received excellent reviews globally. Sinopoulos is a professor in the Department of Music Science and Art at the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki, Greece.
Yann Keerim – piano
Yann Keerim is one of the brightest pianists of his generation, featuring significant collaborations with musicians in Greece and abroad. His piano performances stand out for their sensitivity and combine local musical styles with classical and jazz piano, leading to a highly original result.
Reviews & Awards
Winner - German Record Critics' Award
“In the flow of their playing and the shifting moods between exuberance and melancholy, a highly sensitive chamber music emerges, capable of both inspiring and deeply moving the listener.”
BBC Music Magazine
“The effects are entrancing: the piano offers terra firma, while the lyra comes over like a soul joyfully unchained.”
Nettavisen (Norway)
“This is completely original and unlike anything else you have experienced before. Treat yourself to some quality time with this music and these wonderful musicians.”
Kulturdelen
“When you hear Topos, it is easy to recall that melancholy and nostalgia are Greek words.”
Corriere Della Sera
“The new recording is a small jewel… a word with multiple meanings, which opens windows on black-and-white imaginaries.”
Jazz-fun
“What Sokratis Sinopoulos and Yann Keerim present on Topos can hardly be put into common categories… It is a work that you do not simply consume, but experience.”
Neue Musikzeitung
“One becomes very small and modest before this differentiation of human-aesthetic statements.”
Downbeat Magazine
“Both artists exude absolute expressivity… this is the moodscaping album of the month.”
UK Vibe
“A stunning, unbroken beauty… a quiet kind of magic that feels both ancient and vividly new.”
Jazz Journal
“These two genre-bridging artists offer a duo programme of singular rhythmic resonance and poetic clarity.”
Reviewer Michael Tucker notes that the album is a classic example of the exploration of the hinterland of jazz, serving as a stimulus to reconsider the influence of Bartók in today’s world of genre-crossing fluidity.
Worldmusic Central
“The exquisite material on ‘Topos’ braids together warm Greek folk roots, elegant chamber-jazz interplay, and world music influences.”
Between Sound and Space
“Indeed, Topos is less a location than a living field, a place where listening itself becomes part of the composition.”
Bookings
email: sinopoulossokratis@gmail.com
phone: +306944589822