Albena Petrovic-Vratchanska
Composer, was born in Sofia, Bulgaria, into a family of musicians, Her grandfather was a composer and her father a conductor. She studied at the “P.Pipov” school where she obtained her diploma as a pianist and then studied composition with Plamen Djrirov. She continued her studies at the Accademia P.Vladiguerov and in 1988 became a member of the Youth Section of Bulgarian Composers. She has given many concerts as a pianist but composes both chamber music and symphonic works. For over twenty years she lives and works and teaches in Luxemburg where she completed her studies at the Conservatoire of Luxembourg with Claude Lenners. Her works are programmed regularly and she has written, on commission, many works for Cid-femmes 'Centre d'Information et de Documentation des Femmes': 'Chants de refus' pour mezzo-soprano, flûte, and clarinet, violin, „cello and piano. 'Wann de piano rose gëtt – cycle for children Poèmes d'os' for horn, piano and child Blaues Labyrinth' - for wind instruments Lublyana' for violin and percussion.
Alessia Piermarini
(Roma, 22 Giugno 1975), cantante, pianista, compositrice. Inizia cantando in cori gospel e gruppi blues. Partecipa ai seminari di “Umbria Jazz” e nel 2004 è vincitrice del “World Music Festival”. Fa parte del trio swing femminile “Boop Sisters” con il quale ha inciso due cd “Boop” nel 2003 e “Bibidi Bobidi Boop!” nel 2006. A Roma, si è esibita alla “Casa del Jazz”, al “Micca Club” e all‟ “Alexanderplatz”. Insegna nelle scuole di Roma “Neuma” e “Ladybird Project”, e gestisce un laboratorio vocale improntato sullo sviluppo della musicalità e della conoscenza della musica afroamericana. Dal 1992 ha scritto oltre un centinaio di brani originali, influenzata dalla passione per il soul, per il jazz e per le ritmiche hip hop. Alcuni dei brani che più ritiene validi li ha registrati e presentati nel suo primo disco da solista autoprodotto, finito nell‟ottobre 2008: “What it‟s about”, “Mary”, “Cover my eyes”, “Why”, “Spell on me” e “Don‟t step on my flower” (insieme con De Gregorio).
Ana Popović
(Belgrade, 13 th May, 1976), blues guitarist and singer, daughter of guitarist and bass player Milutin Popović, performed in public from the age of fifteen and set up her first band, Hush in the mid nineties. Their first album, Hometown, was released in 1998, performed in Belgrade‟s clubs and at blues festivals in Greece and Hungary. In the same year she enrolled in the Music Conservatory in The Hague but left after signing a contract with Ruf records. In order to make her first album she went to Memphis, worked with Jim Gaines (whose production credits include Santana and Stevie Ray Vaughan), and published an album, Hush, in homage to her first band. After excellent reviews and popular success she sang with well known blues and jazz artists: Bernard Allison, Eric Burdon, Walter Trout, Popa Chubby, Jimmy Thackery, Taj Mahal and Buddy Miles. For her album, Comfort to the Soul, she received a nomination at the Memphis WC Handy Awards as Best New Artist of 2003, the only European ever to be nominated in this category. This album included some of her first compositions including Don't Bear Down on Me (I'm Here to Steal the Show). In 2006, she was Blues Artist of the Year for BluesWax Magazine and also received a six-time nomination for Living Blues Awards. She signed with Eclecto Groove records and played over one hundred and fifty concerts (in 2007), including the famous Sundance Film Festival. Her album, Still Making History was third on the Billboard Blues Chart for nineteen weeks. In 2009, she participated in the legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise with Susan Tedeschi, Larry McCray, and Bob Margoli and also published Blind for Love.