Bg Vintage is a new project which includes Bulgarian songs of the 20^th century to the rendition of young singers and instrumentalists. The first concert will be held on May 23 at theCity Mark Art Center in Sofia. Young Bulgarian singers VelekaTsankova, Ganiela Ganeva and Itso Lyubenov have the opportunity to perform on stage. Vera Shandel from the vocal trio Sentimental Swingers told Radio Bulgaria details about the music project:

We have been discussing this idea for quite a long time with Mihail Yosifov and Elisaveta Parusheva. We wanted to acquaint the young Bulgarian musicians with good old songs and share with them our experience. We found some incredible things- for instance the song With Taximeter which was once sung by Stoyan Milenkov and recorded back in 1932. The piece National Lottery Tango by Albert Pinkas is another Bulgarian song from that time. The two songs are exceptionally topical and funny. The music programme also includes my childhood favorite song Our Signal written and performed by Emil Dimitrov, as well as When Moon Comes Out written by Dimitar Tochev. Mimi Nikolova performed this sing for the first time. Mimi will sing together with young Bulgarian singer Veleka Tsankova on May 23. Vili Stoyanov (Yosif Tsankov’s grandson) will be part of the orchestra. Yosif Tsankov composed this and many other wonderful songs. Misho and Vili are “the music core” of the project. I have to make sure everything looks alright and Eli has to make sure the project will reach as many people as possible.

Twenty four year old Veleka Tsankova studies at the National Academy of Music in the class of Alis Bovaryan. She likes jazz, Latin and pop music, but currently she is focused on the old beautiful Bulgarian songs.

Of all songs that are part of our music programme I have heard only one or two. My favorite songs are Let Me Kiss You, When Moon Comes Out, Full Moon, Chiko ot Porto Riko. I learned the story of these songs. I found that we had and still have a very nice music and wonderful singers and instrumentalists. Misho creates a very nice and calm atmosphere on stage. His arrangements are very good and I am happy to be part of this.

Bg Vintage is also known as the Platform for Presentation of Young Musicians, celebrated Bulgarian trumpeter Misho Yoshifov says. He teaches trumpet and improvisation at the Pop and Jazz Department of the National Academy of Music Pancho Vladigerov. Misho heads the student’s big band and several smaller bands.

I follow and know quite well the work of the students and it helped me a lot to choose the ones who will be part of our new project. We also invited young instrumentalists. Most of them are from the student formation Si Bemol- Ivan Yordanov (saxophone), Viktor Viktorov (percussions), Svetlin Staykov (bass guitar), Isak Benbasat (piano). Trombonist Vili Stoyanov is a co-leader of the orchestra. This is our first programme which pays tribute to Bulgarian songs. Perhaps, we will continue in other directions, which cover the so-called vintage culture, too. We have an author’s piece written in a vintage style- On My Terrace. We will play this piece for the first time on the premiere in the wonderful salon of City Mark Art Center.We were very honored to receive an invitation for this year’s edition of the Apollonia Festival of Arts in Sozopol.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov