ATHENS – Somewhere between the sound of an old bouzouki and the breath of a saxophone, stories are born that do not belong to a single place. Composer and saxophonist Melina Paxinos, born and raised in Hamburg, Germany, carries within her two homelands, two languages, two rhythms – and unites them in music that feels like a dialogue between tradition and contemporary jazz improvisation. Shortly before the release of her new album ‘Muses’, the diaspora artist spoke to The National Herald.
The National Herald: When did music enter your life, and what drew you to the saxophone?
Melina Paxinos: Music entered my life at a very young age. I grew up in a house full of sounds, where my first influences were the music of Manos Hadjidakis and rebetiko songs. My parents often hosted musical evenings with friends at home – my mother sang, and my father played bouzouki and piano. I remember falling asleep in the red lining of my father’s bouzouki case – images that deeply shaped me.
I started piano lessons at a young age, and at nine I received a scholarship in composition at the Yamaha Music School in Hamburg. At ten, the saxophone and jazz entered my life while I was at the Wilhelm-Gymnasium music school. To join the Jazz Big Band, I had to choose a second instrument – and that’s how I chose the saxophone.
The defining moment came when I attended a concert by the school’s Big Band. Seeing a girl play the saxophone, I felt an immediate connection to the instrument’s sound and form. That’s when I decided the saxophone and jazz would become an integral part of my life.
TNH: You were born and raised in Hamburg. As part of the Greek diaspora, how did you experience your Greek heritage? How was your love for Greece instilled in you?
MP: Growing up in Hamburg, I experienced my dual identity as something completely natural. Although I attended German schools and universities in Hamburg and Berlin, my daily life was bilingual. In the mornings I went to a German school, and in the afternoons I attended a Greek school.
At home we spoke both Greek and German, while outside I mainly used German. This constant switching between languages shaped how I think and express myself artistically. My connection to Greek language and culture was continuous – through music, food, celebrations, and family gatherings.
My dual identity has always been a source of inspiration, both personally and artistically. I have a deep love for Greece, which remains a constant point of reference in my life and journey.
Performance by the Melina Paxinos Quartet. (Photo: Courtesy of Melina Paxinos)
TNH: In your music, traditional Greek elements intertwine with modern jazz. What influences and artists shaped your artistic identity?
MP: I believe jazz and traditional music share a fundamental trait: they are open, flexible, and receptive to new combinations and influences. For me, combining these two worlds is a natural evolution of my musical identity. This meeting is necessary and refreshing for both genres, creating a dialogue between past and present.
Artists who shaped me include Wayne Shorter, Branford Marsalis, Avishai Cohen (on double bass), Kenny Garrett, and Brad Mehldau, among many others.
ΤΝΗ: What fascinates you most about musical composition?
MP: What fascinates me most is the process itself – from the moment an idea is born to its live performance. I begin working on it at the piano, orchestrate it in a DAW (Logic Pro), where I can hear how the instruments will sound, and then develop it further on the saxophone, watching it evolve into something complete.
When composing for images, the process becomes even more demanding and creative, as the image acts as a guide. The goal is to enhance the image and strengthen its impact through music.
TNH: Living between Athens, Hamburg, and Berlin, what has each city offered you artistically?
MP: Hamburg and Berlin gave me the foundations and starting point for my musical path. That’s where my artistic identity was shaped and where I found space for experimentation and exploration. I also value the sense of freedom and anonymity they offer – whether in a café with a book or in a museum- which helps me recharge creatively, especially after intense work periods.
Athens, on the other hand, is something special to me. I love it deeply and it is a major source of inspiration. The experiences it offers are unique: concerts at venues like the Odeon of Herodes Atticus and Epidaurus, museums, walks in Plaka, the city’s light, as well as my friends and collaborators. It’s a city where diverse elements coexist, creating a dynamic environment that gives me the freedom to evolve and create.
For me, these cities naturally bridge collectivity with individuality, offering a balance that constantly fuels my creative expression.
Melina Paxinos: From Hamburg to Athens, a Musical Journey without Borders
TNH: A milestone year in your career was 2018, when you formed the Melina Paxinos Quartet and released your first album ‘Circle of Oddness’. Tell us a bit about that year.
MP: My first album Circle of Oddness (2018) is dedicated to the number π = 3.14, as well as to my father, who passed away in 2016. As a shipbuilder in Hamburg, he was fascinated by this number, which inspired me to incorporate it artistically into my work.
Compositionally, the album explores the relationship between symmetrical and asymmetrical rhythms, creating a ‘cycle’ that moves through different time signatures (such as 4/4, 5/8, 7/8, etc.) and returns to 4/4. Through a specific calculation (66:7:3) and the combination of these rhythmic structures, the number π (3.14) symbolically emerges, acting as the album’s connecting axis.
For me, this album is both a personal and artistic journey – a meeting point of memory, mathematical structure, and musical expression.
TNH: You’ve participated in major festivals and collaborated with important international artists. Is there a collaboration or experience that stands out?
MP: I particularly remember our concert at the Syros Jazz Festival in 2019, at the Apollon Theatre – a truly unique venue often described as a miniature version of La Scala in Milan. It was one of our first festival appearances, and the audience’s energy was incredible.
We performed our arrangement of the rebetiko song ‘Ta Matoklada Sou Lampoun’ by Markos Vamvakaris for the first time. I remember people applauding not only during the concert but also in the streets – even when we were returning by ferry to Athens.
I also feel grateful for all my collaborations so far, with artists such as Lena Platonos, Ross Daly, Daniel Hope, Giorgos Drivas, Andreas Polyzogopoulos, Camerata Europaea, Jacques Ammon, and many others.
Melina Paxinos: From Hamburg to Athens, a Musical Journey without Borders
TNH: What can we expect from your upcoming album Muses, set for release in mid-2026?
MP: The upcoming album Muses draws inspiration from artists who have influenced me both artistically and ideologically. Many belong to the Surrealist movement, while others moved around it, sharing the same spirit of experimentation and creative freedom.
The compositions pay tribute to these figures, with titles such as ‘For Kiki de Montparnasse’, Buñuel’s ‘Dinner’, ‘Breakfast with Breton’, ‘The False Mirror Sees Mr. & Mrs. Woodman’ – a reference combining Magritte and Man Ray – Lee Miller’s ‘Lens’, ‘For Tamara de Lempicka’, and Engonopoulos’ ‘Route of Desire’.
A special place in the album is given to my arrangement of ‘A Thousand Kisses Deep’ by Leonard Cohen, a song I deeply love. The idea was born during a trip to Hydra, while walking and letting the surroundings influence my thoughts and imagination.
What connects these muses is not only Surrealism or the interwar avant-garde, but above all the spirit of that era: freedom, desire, imagination, and the constant reinvention of the self.
TNH: Are there any upcoming projects or performances you’d like to share?
MP: In the near future, I have the following performances:
07/07 – Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo (CAAC), Seville
09/07 – Centro Cultural CajaGRANADA, Granada
29/10 – Half Note Jazz Club, Athens (album release concert)
More about Melina Paxinos’ work can be found at: www.melinapaxinos.com
