LEAD
GUITAR PLAYING AND VIRTOUSITY COMING FROM
ATHENS,
GREECE
Interview
& Article By Adriana Rubio
Photographs:
Courtesy of T.K.G
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“I felt a very strong desire to play the
guitar. I didn’t sleep that night. I was 14 y/old”.
Theodore Kalantzakos was born in Athens, Greece and is the lead guitarist
of T.K.G, a metal-fusion-jazz band with a remarkable presence of very
well done progressive-experimental rock. The combination of all this together
is what really makes the difference in a music world where creativity is
reaching the highest levels.
Guitar virtuoso Theodore Kalantzakos and
his TKG band have played in various
cities across Greece and were opening acts for well known established musicians
and bands such as Vinnie Moore and Aristocrats.
TKG first live
gig was in 2007 for a rock fusion festival in Athens. In 2008 they released the
first single and video clip “Echoing
Chemical Reactions”, and in 2012 they released a full length album titled “Pattern Partner”. In 2013 TKG released two more singles, “No shortcuts (Paving the way Forward)”
and “Paralles” featuring the
acclaimed female guitarist Irene
Ketikidi.
TKG is continually moving forward into the European music
industry mainly focusing in Germany, England and Greece amongst many others.
Theodore is the
eldest of two brothers and grew up surrounded by the music his father played for
fun in a rock band.
“My father
used to play the guitar in a rock band, mostly as a hobby. He never encouraged
me to follow his steps or to play the guitar”.
“It all started as a nice story. I felt a
very strong desire to play the guitar. I didn’t sleep that night. I was 14
y/old and couldn’t stop thinking and dreaming about it until the early hours of
the next morning!”
“I was a self-taught guitarist until the age
of 21. I was at the University of Thessaly in Volos, Greece, studying the second
year to be an architect when I decided to start taking music lessons”.
“My teacher and mentor was guitar virtuoso
Ioannis Anastassakis, and after 5 years I graduated from RGT (London College of
Music, University of West London) with the Teachers Diploma, LLCM (TD)”.
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Theodore proudly
says that after some changes on the band’s lineup, TKG is now a brothers’ trio. He also explains why it has to be this
way.
“TKG is a dream that came true with me and my
brother Loukas Kalantzakos on drums. Our little brother Nick has recently joined
us on synthesizers and FX loops”.
“Nick is 10 years younger than us and grew up
being fed by our passion for music so he’s been enough trained to join the band
(Laughs!!!)”.
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“Now, seriously, I think it is very difficult
for a person to follow someone else dream. It needs dedication, confidence and
commitment. This is why for many musicians it’s hard to keep a band or even
more difficult to keep a band going all together. Your dream has to be someone
else dream too!”
“My relationship with Loukas and Nick is
great. Loukas and I have shared the same passion for years and followed the
same dream right from the start”.
Theodore openly
talks about what music means personally to him in terms of feelings. He also
talks about how styles and influences interfere or not the songwriting process.
“There’s a composition in our upcoming release
titled “Hot Air Balloon”. There is a part in the lyrics saying “I have a flame
in my core”. This is true. I feel as having a flame in my core where music and
my guitar playing express what I feel. It feels like a unique and direct
language speaking in our hearts”.
“The music I’ve listened to in my free time has
changed with time. In recent years for example I used to listen to Byzantine
music. I believe that someone’s music tastes definitely influence you. Personally,
I do my best to keep away from that, I mean I don’t like to write something
rigidly based on a particular style or influence. I prefer to let that
influence come out naturally during the songwriting-composing process”.
As previously said, Theodore is an architect
and as such makes his music sound even more attractive. His TKG band website
provides the visitor with a number of very well done video clips like being
deeply interested into the visual arts department.
“I definitely see TKG as an audio visual
performing show. We try to add projections in most of our shows, while
musically improvising. I believe that our music in wide terms can be described as
cinematic art. We plan to meet with directors specialized in video art, short
films or movies. We are very open to new collaborations, don’t forget that I’m
still an architect and the visual factor is also important to me”!
(Laughs!)
Aside from his TKG band, Theodore
Kalantzakos has recently been in Germany as RGT meaning “Registry of
Guitars Tutors” in collaboration with Robin4Arts, a cultural production company
located in Berlin.
“Yes, RGT is a Registry of Guitar Tutors organizing
exams around the globe in partnership with London College of Music and is
highly qualified by the University of West London. This is a new project
that I’m very excited about. I’m looking forward to give my best”.
“At the same time, TKG new EP is ready and titled
“Rise from the Ground”. It will be out in March. TKG new EP counts with 3 new
compositions with ambient textures and ethnic/world elements as I made an extended
use of fretless guitar in these recordings. Fretless guitar is a great
instrument for making world/ethnic music. It tends to become my main instrument”.
“If you listen closely to TKG previous work,
you can find references in this regard, the fretless guitar, even in our first
recordings. Examples are the extended intro of the “Echoing Chemical Reaction”
where I emulated a fretless guitar using a guitar tremolo”.
Theodore and his TKG band are preparing for
some live shows starting on February 8th in Athens along with two
amazing guitarists, Theodore Ziras and Panos Malahias. It is expected that at
the end of the show the three guitar masters will share stage to jam together!
“See you all out there guys!”
Theodore
Kalantzakos not only is a talented guitarist, visual artist
and architect but a kind gentleman who thanks this blog for the interview, readers,
friends and fans for their support.
For further info on Theodore, his TKG band,
upcoming shows and releases or to purchase their work, please feel free to
visit the official website at:
