Sofia Roubati is a composer for media and film and a saxophone player. She splits her time between Athens, London and New York. Her debut album, ‘Reflections’, in which she directs a classical string ensemble while also leading a jazz quintet(*), is a powerful statement about artistic identity.
Greek saxophonist and composer Sofia Roubati has had an illustrious career for one so young. She holds a BA (Hons) in Jazz Performance from Middlesex University in London, and a Masters Degree in Music for Film and Media from New York University. She has won awards for her short film scores and is a member of the ‘The Alliance for Women Film Composers’ and a voting member of the ‘World Soundtrack Awards.’ She leads London jazz ensemble, ‘Yiasena’, combining traditional Greek, Turkish and Azerbaijan music with contemporary jazz and performs regularly in the UK and European jazz scenes.
“Who is Sofia now? There is Sofia that composes, that performs, but what is my music?”
Like many multi-faceted artists, Roubati grappled with her own artistic identity. As a child in Greece, Roubati enjoyed a strong cultural upbringing – going regularly to listen to traditional Greek music with her family in the Tavernas. Combine that with her jazz education and film composition – it must be challenging to know what to say when there is so much language and tradition to draw from.
“I kept trying to be in one lane – and then at some point I was like, I’m just going to write. Write and see how you can merge all your Worlds without overthinking.”
‘Reflections’ is what finally emerged from this process, a cinematic, evocative and deeply personal album featuring seventeen musicians from Greece, Turkey and the UK.
‘Reflections’ was recorded live over four days at Sierra Studios in Athens. Aside from the drums and vocals, which were recorded live from inside a drum and vocal booth, all remaining fifteen musicians were arranged in a circle for the recording. This is standard for jazz recordings, but unheard of when ten classical string players are thrown into the mix. “In my head there was no other choice, but it was challenging.”
The logistics of leading a classical string ensemble, whilst fronting a jazz quintet at the same time, does seem unfathomably complex.
“We were all freaking out! It was challenging – I was trying to conduct when I wasn’t playing. I really had a lot of faith in all of my musicians.”
Roubati speaks of every musician in her seventeen strong ensemble with the greatest respect and warmth. She is the embodiment of calm leadership: clear in her vision but also knowing when to loosen her grip and create space for her musicians to express their individuality.
“All of these musicians ad something that I cannot even imagine when I’m writing.”
‘Reflections’ emerges as a triumphant collaboration and integration of sounds from vastly different musical traditions. Though often not identified within the idiom of ‘jazz’, Greek and Turkish music have strong roots in improvisation.
“The approach is different but it’s still improvisation.”
There can be a lot of gatekeeping around what is and isn’t ‘jazz’, just as there are strong held opinions amongst folk musicians about the correct approach to preserving and presenting traditional music. Roubati offers a refreshing and down-to-earth approach:
“People in the West hear Greek traditional music and it’s so foreign to their ears they start labelling it with crazy terms. You just don’t know about it. You will find so many more elements of your music in our music if you just listen. Be open-minded.”
Dissolving the borders around music has served Roubati well. One of the main themes of the album is “giving space to ourselves and to others to be and to become.”
‘Reflections’ dives deep into cultural identity and the balancing act between “honouring our cultures” and self-determination, but it also explores the wider theme of community.
“We are part of a collective. We are not individual people living by ourselves.”
This last point is really the key to Roubati’s philosophy and approach to music.
“I am a musician at the end of the day. I don’t divide my composition and my performing.”
Whether it be jazz, classical or traditional music, the musician’s experience is one of connection and collaboration – merging unique sounds and voices to create something new and of the moment. ‘Reflections’ does just this, beautifully.
“I hope people listen to the album and find a bit of their truth in it.”
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(*) BAND ON ‘REFLECTIONS‘
Alto Sax: Sofia Roubati
Tenor Sax: Alex Dmochowski
Guitar: Özenç Düzenli
Bass: Jonny Wickham
Drums: Jonny Pyke
Voice: Aggeliki Toubanaki
Lavta (Turkish lute) : Alexandros Kapsokavadis
1st Violins: Andrei Nastasa, Antonela Cefa, Migen Selmani, Fani Troianou
2nd Violins: Kleodoros Agoras, Stamatella Spinoula, Zoe Prokopiou
Violas: Augusta Shestani, Panagiotis Daniel Arapoglou
Cellos: Mateo Shestani, Leyki Kolovou
