Title: Akroasis Vassilis Tsabropoulos The album AKROASIS by the classically trained, European jazz-minded Greek pianist Vassilis Tsabropoulos is a recital of eight improvisations, 5 being on Byzantine hymns and 3 Tsabropoulos's own compositions. The Byzantine originals which serve as material here, such as "Axion esti" and "Anastasis", are among the most familiar hymns in the Orthodox world, but Tsabropoulos completely abstracts them into moody piano soundscapes in line with the general ECM aesthetic. Much of the excitement in this album comes from how palpably improvisational these performances are. The listener can perceive Tsabropoulos starting with a basic melody and then ordering it into a larger work on the fly, turning his opening indecision into the first part of, say, an ABABC structure. Moments of hesitation and uncertainty, far from weakening the performance, give the music substantial character. While the pieces on Byzantine hymns seem very focused, Tsabropoulos' own compositions break this concentration, offering as a refresher more widely ranging melodies. Titles   1. Hymn I (Axion Esti) 2. Hymn II (Zoi En Tafo) 3. Hymn III (Ek Nyktos) 4. The Secret Garden 5. Hymn IV (Nymphios) 6. Interlude 7. Hymn V (Anastasis) 8. Prayer