PK/Bio

Born in Athens, Greece in 1962. Prior to moving to the U.S. in 1985, performed in small jazz groups while pursuing a degree in Economics. Earned BM and MM degrees in music from Boston's New England Conservatory while studying with Paul Bley, Jimmy Giuffre, George Russell, Dave Holland and Joe Maneri (composition) among others. Studied and performed extensively the music of Thelonious Monk and Lennie Tristano and in 1991 compiled a collection of all of Monk's compositions.

In the last twenty years mostly led or co-led groups whose recordings have often been voted into reviewers' top-10 lists in magazines such as Coda, Cadence, Jazz Times and Jazziz. Performed and recorded with Mat Maneri, Joe Maneri, Ken Vandermark, Tony Malaby, Michael Formanek, John Lockwood, Randy Peterson and Guillermo Gregorio among many others. Numerous performances at festivals and clubs in Europe and the United States. Recordings appear on labels such as Leo Records, Hat Art, Clean Feed, Nuscope, Boxholder, Okkadisk, Cadence, Accurate, Leo Lab, Ayler and HatOLOGY among others.

In the nineties worked closely with violinist Mat Maneri producing several recordings on Leo Records mostly in duo format, but also featuring Tony Malaby, Michael Formanek, Joe Maneri, John Lockwood and Randy Peterson. During the same time also co-led a group featuring much of the Tristano repertoire and originals with which two CDs were made and a trip to Europe in 1997 as well. Also, in 1998 released first trio CD "Heart And Sack" to wide critical acclaim (among others it was featured on National Public Radio's program Fresh Air).

In the past couple of years toured and recorded in duo format with Ken Vandermark (there is also a 2001 trio CD with Vandermark and McBride) and also with Guillermo Gregorio (with whom there are two previous HatArt collaborations). Performed recently with Dave Rempis, Josh Abrams, Jeff Parker, Jeb Bishop, Tim Daisy, Jason Stein, Mike Reed, Josh Berman, Keefe Jackson, Nori Tanaka, Daniel Levin, Frank Rosaly, Charlie Kohlase, Luther Gray, Jef Charland, Forbes Graham, Matt Langley, Jeff Galindo, Charles Waters and the TILT Brass band.

Lately working on composing and arranging for a quintet formation. Presented two such concerts in Chicago and one in Boston during the last year. The latest CD is "Free Advice" (Clean Feed, 2007) with Curt Newton and Nate McBride and “Betwixt” with the same group is expected to be released by HatOLOGY in June 2008.

Quotes:

"Over the course of nearly 20 years and approximately that many recordings, Karayorgis has established himself as one of the singular, and significant, pianists of his generation."
Art Lange

" ... by this stage, Karayorgis has developed a powerful piano language of his own and this is its definitive statement to date."
The Penguin Guide To Jazz Recordings, (8th Edition) in reference to solo piano CD "Seventeen Pieces" (2004).

Dec 2005 Boston Globe article


	Born in Athens, Greece in 1962. Prior to moving to the U.S. in 1985, performed in small jazz groups while pursuing a degree in Economics. Earned BM and MM degrees in music from Boston's New England Conservatory while studying with Paul Bley, Jimmy Giuffre, George Russell, Dave Holland and Joe Maneri (composition) among others. Studied and performed extensively the music of Thelonious Monk and Lennie Tristano and in 1991 compiled a collection of all of Monk's compositions. In the last twenty years mostly led or co-led groups whose recordings have often been voted into reviewers' top-10 lists in magazines such as Coda, Cadence, Jazz Times and Jazziz. Performed and recorded with Mat Maneri, Joe Maneri, Ken Vandermark, Tony Malaby, Michael Formanek, John Lockwood, Randy Peterson and Guillermo Gregorio among many others. Numerous performances at festivals and clubs in Europe and the United States. Recordings appear on labels such as Leo Records, Hat Art, Clean Feed, Nuscope, Boxholder, Okkadisk, Cadence, Accurate, Leo Lab, Ayler and HatOLOGY among others. In the nineties worked closely with violinist Mat Maneri producing several recordings on Leo Records mostly in duo format, but also featuring Tony Malaby, Michael Formanek, Joe Maneri, John Lockwood and Randy Peterson. During the same time also co-led a group featuring much of the Tristano repertoire and originals with which two CDs were made and a trip to Europe in 1997 as well. Also, in 1998 released first trio CD "Heart And Sack" to wide critical acclaim (among others it was featured on National Public Radio's program Fresh Air). In the past couple of years toured and recorded in duo format with Ken Vandermark (there is also a 2001 trio CD with Vandermark and McBride) and also with Guillermo Gregorio (with whom there are two previous HatArt collaborations). Performed recently with Dave Rempis, Josh Abrams, Jeff Parker, Jeb Bishop, Tim Daisy, Jason Stein, Mike Reed, Josh Berman, Keefe Jackson, Nori Tanaka, Daniel Levin, Frank Rosaly, Charlie Kohlase, Luther Gray, Jef Charland, Forbes Graham, Matt Langley, Jeff Galindo, Charles Waters and the TILT Brass band. Lately working on composing and arranging for a quintet formation. Presented two such concerts in Chicago and one in Boston during the last year. The latest CD is "Free Advice" (Clean Feed, 2007) with Curt Newton and Nate McBride and “Betwixt” with the same group is expected to be released by HatOLOGY in June 2008. Quotes: "Over the course of nearly 20 years and approximately that many recordings, Karayorgis has established himself as one of the singular, and significant, pianists of his generation." Art Lange " ... by this stage, Karayorgis has developed a powerful piano language of his own and this is its definitive statement to date." The Penguin Guide To Jazz Recordings, (8th Edition) in reference to solo piano CD "Seventeen Pieces" (2004). Dec 2005 Boston Globe article		photo by Iztok Zupan


	>RECORDINGS • Free Advice, the mi3 (Karayorgis/McBride/Newton), Clean Feed CF098CD, 2007 • Carameluia, Pandelis Karayorgis Trio (with Nate McBride and Randy Peterson),Ayler Records, aylDL-076, 2007 • Foreground Music, Pandelis Karayorgis/Ken Vandermark, Okka Disk, OD12065, 2007 • Chicago Approach, Guillermo Gregorio/Pandelis Karayorgis/Nate McBride, Nuscope 1019, 2007 • We Will Make A Home For You, the mi3 (Karayorgis/McBride/Newton), Clean Feed CF039CD, 2005 • Seventeen Pieces, Pandelis Karayorgis, solo piano, Leo Records CD LR 417, 2004 • Disambiguation, Pandelis Karayorgis/ Mat Maneri Quintet (with Tony Malaby, Michael Formanek and Randy Peterson), Leo Lab CD334, 2002 • Blood Ballad, Pandelis Karayorgis Trio (with Nate McBride and Randy Peterson), Leo Records CD325, 2001 • No Such Thing, Ken Vandermark, Pandelis Karayorgis and Nate McBride, Boxholder BXH 018, 2001 • Let It, Pandelis Karayorgis and Nate McBride, Cadence CJR 1115, 2001 • Red Cubed, Guillermo Gregorio (with Mat Maneri), hatOLOGY 531, 1999 • Heart And Sack, Pandelis Karayorgis Trio (with Nate McBride and Randy Peterson), Leo Lab CD048, 1998 • Lift & Poise, Pandelis Karayorgis/Mat Maneri (with Joe Maneri and John Lockwood), Leo Lab CD041, 1998 • Approximately, Guillermo Gregorio (with John Lockwood, Mat Maneri and Eric Pakula), Hat Art 6184, 1996 • Lines, Pakula/Karayorgis Quartet, Accurate AC-5014, 1995 • In Time, Mat Maneri/Pandelis Karayorgis, Leo Lab CD002, 1994 • Between Speech And Song, Pakula/Karayorgis/Rosenthal Quartet, Cadence CJR 1055, 1994 • The Other Name, Pandelis Karayorgis, Motive MP001, 1992 • Hand Made, Pandelis Karayorgis, Lyra/OM 053, 1989		>EDUCATION • New England Conservatory of Music, Master of Music in Jazz Performance, Academic Honors, 1993 • New England Conservatory of Music, Bachelor of Music in Jazz Performance, 1989 • TEACHERS Jazz: Paul Bley, Geri Allen, Dave Holland, Stanley Cowell, John McNeil, Cecil McBee Composition: Joe Maneri, William Thomas McKinley Jazz Ensembles: George Russell, Jimmy Giuffre, George Garzone >TEACHING EXPERIENCE • Buckingham, Browne & Nichols School, Cambridge Mass., director of jazz ensembles, 1996 to present • New England Conservatory of Music, Boston Mass., director of the Thelonious Monk Repertory Ensemble, 1992-93
			Other bios: All Music Guide Penguin Guide To Jazz (8th ed.) Muze Encyclopedia of Popular Music (2002 bio)
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Other bios: All Music Guide Penguin Guide To Jazz (8th ed.)

Muze Encyclopedia of Popular Music (2002 bio)

Other bios:
All Music Guide

Penguin Guide To Jazz (8th ed.)