Jazz in Moldova

In conjunction with an EU-mission in Moldova during spring 2007 I had the pleasure to spend some weekends in the country without any work commitments. With my music interest I made a Google search during my first visit on "jazz" and "moldova". Hit number one was The Jazz Hotel, which does not seem to offer much, if you are looking for the music. But hit number 2 was a true hit, Trigon - jazz, folk, ethno


Knowing that the music interest in Moldova was at a high level, I optimistically visited several stores in central Chisinau, asking for a Trigon CD. No results! As this was Saturday, and I had to go back home after lunch on Sunday, I wrote, in desperation, email to the contact address on their web site, asking where I could buy any record with their music. Just around midnight, I got an answer from Natalia Stefanet, regretting that there may not be any stores selling their records in Moldova. She also kindly asked in which hotel I stayed, so that they should be able to deliver some records the following day. We agreed that if we could meet before noon, I should manage to reach my flight back to Sweden. I was really excited, and honored, to meet in the small reception of our hotel, mr Trigon himself, Anatol Stefanet. He explained that most of their CDs were for sale abroad, but that he had brought some of his own copies. Among those, their last CD: Seven steps, from 2005 and Oglinda, from 1998.

Staying at str. Bulgara 26 (Hotel Stella de Lux), it was close to Grill House, at str. Armeneasca 24, who offered live music every night. Most nights I had dinner there, soft jazz was played by different groups. One with Veacheslav Dashevsky at the piano.

On a flight with Air Moldova, I came to read in their in-flight magazine Open Skies, about Geta Burlacu, a Moldovan singer, who seemed to be a real profile. There was a hint in the interview where to find her. She was once a week singing at the 'Old Attic' (Starâi Cerdac). My Moldovan friends told me where I could find 'Old Attic', a music pub on the 4th floor of the shopping centre JUMBO, blvd Decebal 23.

A sunny Sunday we took a long walk on blvd C Negruzzi, blvd Ju Gagarin, passed the Railway station and the Casâ de Culturâ and after some small streets we suddenly found the modern JUMBO and also found 'Old Attic'. They adviced us to come back Friday, when there should be live music.

Friday evening my German friend and me joined the audience at 'Old Attic' to listen to Dmitrii Serghee and his band Right Horns. They pleased me by playing jazz from the 50's which happens to be the period I got absorbed by jazz music. Listen to their interpretation of Thelonius Monk's 'Round Midnight on MySpace. In the break Dmitrii surprised us to propose that we should leave the place in favor of the Jazz Café, str. Albisoara 44, where Geta Burlacu was performing together with the a capella group UniVox. Jazz Café is located on 2nd floor of MuzCafé, and when we just had arrived, Dmitrii and his band, appeared among the Jazz Café audience, having finished there own gig.

When I finally came to hear Geta Burlacu, even if only as part of a choir, Dmitrii offered me two demo CDs which contained different projects:
- Jazz standards
- Ethno jazz
- Latino
I just found a web site dedicated to Moldovian Jazz. Confirms my experience very much, but does not seem to be up-dated any longer.