The international jazz quartet Marc Halbheer's Compás will perform a musical tribute to the late Bulgarian pianist and composer Milcho Leviev at the Half Note Jazz Club in Athens on Wednesday, October 14 and Thursday, October 15.
The group features musicians from Athens, Switzerland, and Madrid, and blends jazz with traditional idioms from the Alps, Eastern Europe, and Spain. They will be joined by special guest Haig Yazdjian, who will provide oud and vocals.
The Half Note Jazz Club is a prominent live music venue located at Trivonianou 17 in the Mets neighborhood of central Athens.
Improvisation and cultural exchange form the core of the quartet's sound. The instruments compose an open musical dialogue that uses tradition as a living material for new creations.
The program is dedicated to the memory of Leviev, who was known as the "Godfather of Balkan jazz". Leviev was a renowned jazz musician who defected from communist Bulgaria in 1970 and later had a successful career in the United States. He was the original pianist for the band Eastern Eye, and is recognized as one of the personalities who creatively connected jazz with the Balkan musical world.
International quartet
The quartet consists of Patricia Draeger on accordion, David Lynch on wind instruments, Yiotis Kiourtsoglou on bass, and Marc Halbheer on drums and percussion.
Draeger is the winner of the 2026 Swiss Grand Prix Music, which is the highest Swiss distinction for musicians. She has shaped a personal style where traditional music, jazz, and improvisation meet with a focus on cultural exchange. The accordion has led her to appearances in Europe, the US, Asia, Australia, and Africa. Her collaboration with Halbheer began in 2002 when they both participated in the World Big Band Tien Shan Switzerland Express and toured Europe and Asia.
Lynch was born in California and is now based in Athens. He has developed a distinct musical language that integrates his personal expressive idiom into the Eastern musical tradition. He has participated in hundreds of albums and numerous film soundtracks, while also writing music for film, theater, radio, television, and dance.
Kiourtsoglou, a bass player based in Athens, was a pioneer in integrating the Greek musical tradition into modern idioms. He has influenced many musicians and for years served as a first-choice bass player on the Greek scene. He met Halbheer in Los Angeles in 1988, and their collaboration has lasted more than 37 years.
Guest performer
Halbheer moves with an open mind and flexibility across different musical environments. His career has led him to perform at festivals and concert halls all over the world.
Yazdjian is considered an important figure in world music in Greece. His sound connects tradition with modern creation, highlighting the two sides of his musical personality as both a virtuoso of tradition and a restless creator. With his oud and voice, he adds his own recognizable expressive power to the tribute.
The performances will begin at 21:30 on both nights. Tickets start at 15 euros, with presales available through more.com. The venue can be reached by phone at 210 9213310.
