Tereza Catarov – Koren (PKmusik, 2025)
Tereza Catarov’s debut album, Koren offers an inventive and fearless synthesis of Balkan folk traditions and contemporary jazz. The London-based vocalist and composer, with roots in Romania and Bulgaria, crafts a musically intricate, emotionally immediate tribute to the lives and voices of women across generations.
Catarov’s ensemble includes outstanding contributions and interplay from Christos Sylianides (trumpet), Alex Simu (clarinet), Cem Evin (guitar), and Yiorgos Bereris (piano). Meanwhile, Catarov’s vocals, often sung in the endangered Bulgarian dialect of Palkenski, rise with jazz precision and passion.
Koren (“root”) is both a musical archive and a personal reckoning. Many lyrics were written or inspired by Catarov’s grandmother, Terezia, whose spoken testimony appears on the track “Duslo-j Vreme.” You’ll find stories of forced marriages, generational trauma, and the fragile persistence of love.
“Racka” captures the sorrow of an unwilling bride; “Zelén” reimagines a Romeo and Juliet-style tragedy, where death gives way to symbolic reunion as trees entwine around the lovers’ graves.
Elsewhere, the music softens the lyrics without erasing their weight. “Mai Puiut de Randune,” a traditional doina, offers a tender arrangement where bowed strings and plaintive vocals seem to cradle the grief of separation.
“Hadvate” juxtaposes inter-family conflict with silken instrumental passages, led by Thodoris Ziarkas’s dancing bass line. That track also features Catarov’s father, Teo, an accordionist and folk singer.
The closing track, “Am să Rămân,” is an elegant whisper of defiance and resilience. Following a sparse, reflective arrangement, Catarov concludes with a spontaneous vocal flourish, a final gesture of freedom.
Two singles—“Racka” (May 16) and “Du-te Dor” (June 6)—precede the album’s release on June 27. A London concert at Karamel on July 5 will mark the live debut of this deeply personal project.
Tereza Catarov is a Romanian-Bulgarian musician based in London whose work weaves contemporary jazz with the folk traditions of Eastern Europe and the Balkans. As a singer, pianist, and composer, she draws on the modal richness and vocal ornamentation of her cultural roots while integrating the harmonic language and improvisational depth of modern jazz.
Born in Timișoara, Romania, Catarov began performing at local folk festivals at age three and started classical piano studies by five. Her formal training spans multiple institutions: the National University of Music in Bucharest, a first-class bachelor’s degree in jazz voice from the Prince Claus Conservatory in Groningen, and a master’s degree with distinction from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.
Her career reflects a strong commitment to cross-cultural dialogue. She has performed with artists such as David Binney, Jacob Collier, Kaya Thomas-Dyke, and Alex Simu, appearing at major venues and festivals including the EFG London Jazz Festival, Barbican Centre, Vortex Jazz Club, and Jazz in the Park. Her work has been featured on Jazz FM, National Romanian Radio, and in publications such as London Jazz News and Jazzwise.
Yiorgos Bereris is a Greek pianist and composer based in Rotterdam whose work navigates the intersections of jazz improvisation and the modal traditions of Greece and the Balkans. He draws on the expressive aesthetics of taksim and has developed a pianistic voice marked by melodic nuance and rhythmic elasticity. His two albums, Laros, recorded with a jazz quintet, and Siga y Silente, a duet with percussionist Lucas Zegrí, reflect a commitment to cross-cultural experimentation.
In addition to his solo work, Bereris has contributed to projects by Merem, Tereza Catarov, the Alba Careta Quintet, and Ilias Mantikos. His versatility has made him a sought-after collaborator, particularly in projects that bridge jazz with traditional and experimental idioms. Beyond the concert stage, his compositions for interdisciplinary productions have premiered at major European festivals. Notable performances include appearances at the Greek National Opera, Megaro Mousikis Thessalonikis, Jamboree Jazz Club, Vortex, Boston Conservatory Theater, and De Doelen.
Cem Evin is a Turkish-born jazz guitarist based in the UK, known for integrating jazz with Turkish folk and rock fusion. He began playing guitar at 14 and initially pursued studies in computer science. His formal musical training took shape at the Prince Claus Conservatory in the Netherlands, where he refined a sound characterized by technical agility. His distinctive approach has drawn comparisons to Pat Metheny.
Thodoris Ziarkas is a Greek bassist and composer whose work spans jazz, improvised music, and regional folk idioms. Based in the UK, he co-founded the experimental ensemble Valia Calda and leads the trio Collection of Sand. His recent solo performance, [Reconstruction], combines double bass with electronics and film, extending his practice into multimedia territory.
Ziarkas maintains collaborations with a wide range of artists including Nancy Mounir, the Talal Fayad Quartet, Vanessa Kourtesi, and Ziad Rajab. He performs regularly with Tasos Stamou in the duo AMAN!!!. His extensive collaborative network includes the London Improvisers Orchestra, Okay Temiz, Yazz Ahmed, Maggie Nichols, Anna Homler, Steve Beresford, Savina Yannatou, Electric Litany, Adam Bohman, and Yuko Kaseki. His practice continues to evolve at the intersection of tradition and experimentation.
Born in Athens in 1988, Billy Pod is a Greek drummer, composer, and bandleader recognized for his notable contributions to modern jazz. He began studying drums at eleven and went on to complete both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in jazz performance at the Ionian University in Corfu.
Pod’s collaborations span continents and genres, including work with saxophonist Tivon Pennicott, vocalist JD Walter, pianist Emmet Cohen, and Greek icon Dionysis Savvopoulos. He has performed at venues such as the Tribeca Performing Arts Center (New York), Taichung Jazz Festival (Taiwan), and the London Jazz Festival. His drumming combines precision with lyricism, making him a leading figure in the contemporary Greek jazz diaspora.
Alex Simu, born in Bucharest and based in the Netherlands, is a clarinetist, saxophonist, and composer acclaimed for his work at the crossroads of jazz and world music traditions. In 2010, he co-founded the Amsterdam-based quartet Arifa, whose albums Beyond Babylon (2010) and Anatolian Alchemy (2012) were awarded Best World Music Release in the Netherlands. His score for the 2016 film Beyond Sleep earned him the Golden Calf for Best Music.
Simu serves as a principal subject teacher at Codarts University in Rotterdam. His accolades include first prize at the Utrecht Holland Casino Jazz Contest (2008), the Dutch Jazz Competition at the North Sea Jazz Festival (2008), and the EBU Jazz Scholarship (2009).
Christos Stylianides is a Scottish trumpet player and multi-instrumentalist based in South East London. Raised in Glasgow, he has emerged as a prominent voice in the UK jazz scene, contributing to a range of projects across jazz, experimental, and improvised music.
Stylianides has performed with artists including Jas Kayser, Maria Chiara Argirò, Daisy George, and the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra. His work reflects a strong affinity for collaborative settings and a curiosity for stylistic hybridity, positioning him as an active participant in the evolving landscape of European jazz.
Musicians: Tereza Catarov on vocals; Yiorgos Bereris on piano; Cem Evin on electric guitar; Thodoris Ziarkas on acoustic bass; Billy Pod on drum kit; Christos Sylianides on trumpet; Alex Simu on clarinet;
Ioana Şelaru on violin, viola; Terezia Catarov on vocals; and Teo Catarovon vocals.