Irini Arabatzi

Born in Thessaloniki, Greece, it was after her family moved to Brussels, that Irini really discovered music. School in a new country was not a welcoming experience at first. The detachment Irini experienced led to a lot of time alone exploring the classic Greek records her parents played in their new home. The twelve years of piano lessons that followed, uncovered a new love for jazz and improvisational music. This, alongside a continued appreciation for traditional music from Greece and the wider world combined to form the most prominent and lasting influences in her song writing. Returning to Greece to study law, Irini attended the Athenaeum Conservatory adding a new busy schedule of performing to her life, taking her to festivals and venues around the country, playing with some of Greece’s most famous artists. Irini then travelled to Scotland to further her music education. At the Royal Conservatoire, she worked with the Euroradio Orchestra and Scottish National Jazz Orchestra. But her stay in Scotland also opened important new pathways, introducing her to the new wave of UK jazz. Recording with artists including Corto.Alto, Mark Hendry and Fergus McCreadie started the important first steps towards her solo project. In 2018, Irini completed her music master’s degree at Guildhall in London. Now, surrounded and encouraged by a diverse and prolific musical community she incorporates all influences into her performing life, from jazz, to samba, to folk and beyond.