From Sacramento, California to Tinos in the Cyclades, one of America’s largest jazz orchestras, the explosive “Symphonia Phonotone,” with its 22 on-stage musicians, is coming to the Theater in Koumaros for an unforgettable concert with free admission to the public and worldwide live streaming – The concert is under the auspices of the Municipality of Tinos.

Start time at 21:00, theater doors open at 20:30.

The orchestra will present a series of original arrangements of dance melodies from the 1920s and 1930s that have not been played for 90 years.

The evening will be opened by the “Phonotone Quartet and their Friends,” a six-member virtuoso band with its singer, which will “sway” the audience even during the intermission.

The Orchestra’s History

In 2017, visionary Gerhard Bauer, a collector and lover of syncopated dance music from the 1920s and 1930s, founded an online radio station, PhonotoneClassic, dedicated to playing authentic 78 RPM records of this musical genre, restored by him in excellent quality.

For the launch of the radio station, he thought it would be a good idea to have live music and sought local musicians who could play traditional jazz and dance music. Thus, the “Phonotone Quartet” was born, led by the charismatic pianist Kevin Hamby. After a highly successful inaugural event for the online radio station, Bauer thought that founding a large dance orchestra that would play authentic arrangements from the 1920s and 1930s would be an additional noble goal. With the help of Kevin Hamby and the other original members of the Phonotone Quartet, the nearly impossible feat of forming a 20-member vintage dance orchestra was achieved. And although the orchestra initially rehearsed in Gerhard’s living room, it quickly became so beloved by the public that it gained legal status (non-profit organization) and moved to a professional space!

During the pandemic years, the orchestra survived by organizing live streaming events from the radio station, with tremendous impact, international recognition, and success. Listeners requested to see the talented musicians play online, and invitations for live concerts followed.

The Repertoire

Symphonia Phonotone, produced and directed by the passionate Gerhard Bauer, under the musical direction of the exceptional Kevin Hamby, plays exactly in the same style as the great dance orchestras of the 1920s and 1930s, faithfully bringing back the syncopated dance music rhythm and early jazz, which was once the most popular music in America, England, and continental Europe.

The orchestra comprises some of the best musicians from the greater Sacramento area and proudly offers its audience an experience that hasn’t existed in the live music scene for at least the last 90 years.

European Tour and Free Admission Concert

Symphonia Phonotone’s European tours began in 2022 when they received an invitation to travel to Austria to play before an international audience that was ecstatic. Thanks to its steady sponsors, Wilson-Wolf Manufacturing and David Hedin, the orchestra is coming back to Europe to offer the Greek audience a memorable night with free admission.

They are often asked, “Why do you travel the world giving free concerts?” “We have a clear mission,” answers Gerhard. “The driving principle of our organization is not to let dance music, jazz, and swing from the 1920s and 1930s, this unique art form, be forgotten! Our concerts also have an educational role, and this brings immense joy to our hearts!”