BIHA 5

BIHA 5

BIHA 5 is a collective made up of guitarist Ludmil Krumov (Bulgaria), saxophonist Yaniv Nachum (Israel), pianist Tony Roe (Holland / Curacao), bassist Dylan Shamat (USA) and drummer Borislav Petrov (Bulgaria). They all come from different corners of the world, but they met in Amsterdam, while gravitating around Amsterdam Conservatory where they all study / teach.

The essence of BIHA 5’s music is a flavoured combination of Bulgarian folk rhythms and melodic motives with contemporary jazz harmonies and sophisticated improvisational forms and dynamics, as well as light influences from Cuban, Israeli and other music traditions.
It’s a powerful and adventurous mixture of many styles and improvisational techniques that have the energy of the new New York based experimental jazz trends and the characteristic dance-like rhythms and textures from East-Europe and the Balkan.
BIHA 5’s challenging music incorporates unfamiliar odd time rhythms intricate melodies and advanced harmonies at the same time. It can probably be categorized as a new fresh form of East European jazz.

The band strives to deliver their musical message on an energetic and colour associative level as well as an intellectual one.

Every member of BIHA 5 has a very different background and distinctive musical personality, and that reflects in the diversity and originality of the music they create together. The cultural differences melt together under the idea of making up this collective jazz formula.

The band performs original music, composed and arranged mainly from guitarist L. Krumov.

BIHA 5 favoures group improvisation over individual solos and a streaming expression and a flow of dynamic turns.