Music in the city

As the summer rolls in, live music nights pop up left, right and centre. Bars, cafés and music venues around the island are welcoming musicians and as the weekend draws closer, more and more events appear to keep music lovers entertained.

In Larnaca, three musicians are preparing a special tribute for one of the greatest jazz singers of the 20th century, Billie Holiday, on Wednesday. Held at the Tudor Inn Bar, Alice Ayvazian on vocals, Marios Papares on saxophone and Alexis Kasinos on guitar will take audiences on a musical journey through the iconic songs that marked Holiday’s career, which spanned decades.

In the capital, and hidden within the greenery of the Nicosia Municipal Gardens is Evergreen Vegan & Vegetarian which serves up light plant-inspired meals and refreshing cocktails. On Thursdays, the bar hosts musicians and this week it welcomes Vasiliki Anastasiou and The Amalgamation choir to perform alongside guitarist Ermis Michael. From around 9pm, Vasiliki and the all-female choir will take the Evergreen floor and fill it with Mediterranean folk music and polyphonic songs.

Also happening on Thursday but in Limassol is a groovy Latin-infused fiesta with band Macumba at Mason bar. Three Cypriot musicians and a Chilean musician make up the band and perform a vibrant mix of Brazilian funk, samba, rumba and guaguanco afro-Cuban blended through a modern post-jazz aesthetic. Rodrigo Caceres, Rodos Panagiotou, George Morfitis and Elias Ioannou return to the Limassol bar to bring lively Latin-jazz sounds.

The jazz sounds will continue throughout the weekend as more musicians take the stage at Sarah’s Jazz Club. On Friday, the Workin’ Trio will be joined by Latvian jazz singer Ronja Burve for an experimental performance at 9.30pm. Christos Yerolatsitis, Charis Ioannou and Marios Spyrou will bring their musical influences and instruments together for a different kind of jazz night.

Saturday night at Sarah’s is dedicated to the jazz of the 1930s. The Steppin’ Out Jazz Band, featuring Alice Ayvazian, Dimitris Miaris, Costas Challoumas and Marios Spyrou will pay tribute to the changing era of jazz in the 30s when big bands began transforming it into dance-able swing music and iconic female vocalists emerged.

A Tribute to Billie Holiday

Alice Ayvazian on vocals, Marios Papares on saxophone and Alexis Kasinos on guitar. June 8. Tudor Inn Bar, Larnaca. 8.30pm-11pm. €6 music charge. Tel: 96-511065

Amalgamation Live at Evergreen

Vasiliki Anastasiou and The Amalgamation choir ft. Ermis Michael. June 9. Evergreen Vegan & Vegetarian, Nicosia. 9pm. €3 music charge. Tel: 99-855919

Macumba

Latin-jazz band plays live. June 9. Mason Bar, Limassol. €5. Tel: 99-211280

Workin’ Trio and Ronja Burve

Live jazz. June 10. Sarah’s Jazz Club, Nicosia. Doors 8.30pm, music 9.30pm. €10. Tel: 95-147711

Jazz of the 1930s

Live by the The Steppin’ Out Jazz Band. June 11. Sarah’s Jazz Club, Nicosia. Doors 8.30pm, music 9.30pm. €10. Tel: 95-147711