Yako Trio is a jazz band formed in 2016 in Thessaloniki, Greece, consisting of:

• Leandros Pasias - piano
• Vangelis Vrachnos - double bass
• Giorgos Klountzos-Chrysidis - drums

‘’It is a real jazz of fire that can be found in both North Greece and Africa and reflects on what we consider modern jazz today. I think Yako Trio from Thessaloniki is one of the best jazz groups in our country.’’

G. Charonitis - Athinorama, 2020

Three musicians who, after their studies, mainly in jazz, and their musical wanderings in various cities abroad, returned at their hometown with their luggage full of a great variety of sounds, experiences and knowledge, in order to confront and have a fertile, energetic conversation with its particular sounds and memories coming out from its very long, rich, multicultural history.

The key element for forming the Trio was the work of the well-known Greek musician and composer Yannis Konstantinidis, in particular his arrangement to familiar melodies and rhythms of Greek traditional music. His intention was to save the unregistered Greek traditional musical material through the synthesis process. He has been heavily influenced by classical composers such as C. Debussy, M. Ravel and B. Bartok. All members of the Yako Trio have a deep knowledge of Konstantinidis’ work and also a great admiration for it. They formed this trio in order to edit it and introduce it again to the audience through their own musical sounds and experiences. That’s why they named the band “Yako Trio”, after the initial letters of Yannis Konstantinidis’ name.

In 2018, they released their first album Ode to Yannis. In this album, they are approaching well known Greek traditional songs in a new, dynamic, creative way, combining traditional idioms,  classical harmonies and elements of modern jazz, while incorporating jazz improvisations.

Now, they are forming their own musical identity, presenting original compositions in the particular musical style of modern jazz. These compositions have been recorded for their second album and is going to be released soon, featuring two great saxophonists, Nicolas Masson and James Wylie.

They have performed at major festivals and venues such as Athens Technopolis Jazz Festival, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, Jazz in Progress Heraklion, Music Showcase Greece, Institut francais de Thessalonique, Moni Lazariston Festival Thessaloniki, Kyustendil Summer Cultural Holidays & Radio Plovdiv (Bulgaria) , Sumadijski Blues & Jazz Festival (Serbia).

They have shared the stage with great guest musicians like Nicolas Masson, James Wylie, Harris Lambrakis, Dimitris Angelakis, Vasilis Lagdas, Elsa Mouratidou and Periklis Vrachnos.