MONTUNO QUINTET+ features elite Bulgarian and international musicians from various genres. The music of the quintet is built on the synthesis of the best examples of the Bulgarian folklore tradition and world jazz practice, improvisation is combined with tradition, and the means of expression characteristic of jazz – with folk melody, rhythm and traditional instruments. Contemporary arrangements help traditional singing and the Bulgarian tamboura to cooperate successfully with electronic instruments. MONTUNO QUINTET+ create an original sound environment in which folk melodic and rhythmic motifs intertwine with original jazz improvisations.

Their show includes pieces from the new album “Seven” – 2023, as well as the best from “My Burning Heart” – the album that caused great interest among fans of jazz and ethnic music in Bulgaria and abroad. Just a few months after its release, the pieces included in it took top places in the TOP charts for May and October 2022 on the largest online platform for ethnic music – Ethnocloud. In October, the track “Home Coming” climbed two places to No. 3 on audio, and the video for the song “Dream” took the honorable No. 1 spot.

Krassi Jeliazkov – ac. guitar & Bulgarian tamboura: Creator of the project. Author of music and arrangements. Music producer, manager, band leader, writes music for theatre, film, jazz and ethno music, guitar player and Bulgarian tamboura performer. Creator of the unique music project Balkan Horses Band. Author a lot of books for Bulgarian tamboura.
He plays with famous artists such as: Rick Dellaratta , US piano and vocal, Cecilia Long, US jazz singer, Indian percussions player Ramesh Shotam, Croatian violin player Marko Ramljak and many others.
Participates in many local and international festivals including: Grand Paris Du Jazz (Paris, France), Balkan Square (Thessaloniki, Greece) 10 Festival Lent (Maribor, Slovenia), Brossela Folk & Jazz (Bruxells, Belgium) and more.

Kiril Kuzmanov – saxophone & flute:

One of Europe’s most promising young saxophonists was born in Skopje, R.S. Macedonia. His first contact with music began with the flute. At the age of 14, his interest turned to the saxophone, which is still his favorite instrument. After completing his education in Macedonia, he continued at the University of Arts in Graz and completed his Master’s degree with high honors.

In 2007, he was a soloist of the “HGM Jazz Orchestra Zagreb” in the “JM Jazz World” project.
Kuzmanov is one of the founders of ZJM Big Band in Skopje. Specializing in master classes with: Don Menza, Bob Mintzer, Dave Liebman, Jerry Bergonzi, Donnie McCaslin and others.

Played with world famous musicians Don Menza, Stepko Well, Renato Chico, Jim Rotondi, Howard Curtis, Luis Bonilla and others.

Radoslav Slavchev — Riverman:One of the leading bass players of Bulgaria was born in 1982 in Ruse. He started his music education with classical guitar but at age of 14, he switched to the bass guitar. He obtained a master degree at the conservatory of music in Sofia.
Radoslav has been a member of various bands and projects such as: Ahead, Studio X, Balkan Horses Band, Shakazulu Orchestra. He has recorded and worked with famous artists such as: Cecilia Long (USA), Frank McComb, the legendary American drummer Poogie Bell, Valya Balkanska, Ivo Papazov, Theodosii Spassov and others.
Currently he plays in several projects, Funkallero, Brasil Acoustic and High Time — jazz & fusion project with which he participates in all the major jazz festivals in Bulgaria.

Lenos Rousos – drums:

Lenos Roussos is the discovery of MONTUNO. After a long search, research and holding a national casting for drummers, he was chosen as a permanent member of Montuno. The talented musician was born in 1998 in Limassol, Cyprus. Studied drums with Giorgos Savidis. He graduated from the music school in Limassol. He plays in the “Youth Symphony Orchestra” and the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra.

2022 graduate of the National Academy of Sciences “prof. Pancho Vladigerov” – majoring in percussion instruments – under Prof. Hristo Yotsov. With the band Groovelicious he performed in Sweden, Germany, Finland, Estonia and Norway. He is currently an active member of the projects Sawber, Demojo, Aegonia, TripTribe and others with whom he has many gigs behind him.

Pavel Tzonev – keyboards: Born in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, 1988. During his studies at the Plovdiv Conservatory he performed with various artists on the Bulgarian jazz scene – Hilda Kazasyan, Hristo Yotsov, Veselin Veselinov – Eko, Stoyan Yankulov, Alexander Lekov, Nikolay Karageorgiev and others. In a short time he became one of the most sought-after young pianists in the country.
In 2016 recorded the guitar album of Tom Sinatra – a nephew of the legendary Frank Sinatra.
In 2017 received an invitation from jazz singer Miroslava Katsarova to participate as a guest on her show “The New Standarts”. He has performed with the State Opera and Military Big Band in Stara Zagora.
In 2018 he took part in several jazz festivals in Bulgaria.

MONTUNO_BG – VIDEOS