PHOTO BY PATRICIA PASCAL
MARIA GRAPSA BIO
Athens born, London based since 2014; Maria has been participating actively in UK’s music scene with numerous projects including Tomorrow’s Warriors Female Frontline, Suede Jazz Collective, Grand Union Youth Orchestra and hip- hop artist Shunaji. She co-founded the electronic duo Supermodels with multi-instrumentalist Joshua Brander and leads her own Jazz Quintet. Maria’s current focus is on original compositions and the upcoming release of her first EP. Her music is influenced by cinematic themes whilst pushing the limits of improvisation within the jazz idiom. Maria’s classical music background, Greek origins and world, folk and latin influences, all meet the jazz tradition in a unique way.
Maria has been participating actively in UK’s music scene; some of her past and current projects include Tomorrow’s Warriors Female Frontline, Suede Jazz Collective and hip-hop artist Shunaji, while she has shared the stage with G. Crosby, Daniel Rollins, James Morton and Tim Berne. She has performed so far in Jazz Cafe London, Southbank Centre, Hootananny Brixton, Canteen Bristol, Eastside Jazz Club Birmingham, Ally Pally, Wilderness Festival and Torstrassen Festival Berlin. She is currently studying towards her Jazz Masters of Music, following a scholarship offer at the Royal Conservatoire of Birmingham.
Maria co-founded the electronic duo Super Models with multi-instrumentalist Joshua Brandler and leads her own Jazz Quintet. Her current focus is on original compositions and the upcoming release of her first EP. The newly formed Maria Grapsa Quintet is influenced by cinematic themes whilst pushing the limits of improvisation within the jazz idiom.
In 2019-20 Maria created the ongoing project ‘Dialogue in’, a series of live studio recordings full of improvisation, spontaneity and musical dialogues. With the cross-disciplinary project, she hopes to open a dialogue in between artists, musicians of all kinds and audience. Her live videos and audio recordings are available across all online platforms.
Maria’s past and present musical tutors and mentors are: Liam Noble, John Turville, Mike Williams, John O’ Gallagher, Percy Pursglove, Tim Berne, Gary Crosby, Peter Edwards, George Kontrafouris, Cecilia Stalin and Sara Colman. She has been participating in workshops of Tomorrow’s Warriors, Barry Harris and Grand Union Youth Orchestra
Maria was clearly won over by her love for music over the past decade but her academic journey also includes an Environmental Engineering masters degree. In parallel with her pianistic, composing and band leading career she has also been successfully teaching piano and improvisation to young people since 2012, offering music lessons and workshops.
ORIGINAL MUSIC
Maria Grapsa Quintet
Female led Jazz Quintet featuring some of the most adventurous young musicians of UK and Scotland (Maria Grapsa-piano, synths, compositions & arrangements), Liam Brennan-alto saxophone, Matthew Kilner -tenor saxophone, Kai Chareunsy – drums, Tommy Fuller -double bass). Influenced by cinematic themes; pushing the limits of improvisation within the jazz idiom and beyond. Expect: modern jazz, folk, afro-cuban and latin influences, interesting arrangements, groovy original tunes and capturing performances from five talented improvisers.
