George Kontrafouris
George Kontrafouris was born in Athens in 1967. He studied classical piano at the National Conservatory in Athens. At the age of 16, he turned his interest to jazz music and he followed up jazz improvisation lessons with Markos Alexiou. He also studied with Jim Beard and Jarmo Savolainen. He holds a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in Jazz Performance from Sibelius Academy in Finland.
He has performed as piano or organ player with many famous and outstanding musicians such as: Marc Johnson, Arild Andersen, Marcus Stockhausen, Andy Sheppard, Ralph Peterson Jr., David Liebman, Houston Pearson, Eric Alexander, Lou Donaldson, Sam Newsome, Benny Golson, Tim Hagans, Bob Sheppard, Carmen Lundy, Sheila Jordan and many more.
He has been teaching jazz piano and organ for several years at the Athenaeum Conservatory in Greece, at the Sibelius Academy in Finland and he currently belongs to the academic faculty of the Ionian University in Corfu. He has already given Master Classes in various schools in Greece and abroad.
His first album as a leader, named "Don’t be Shy" was released in 1999.
He is the leader at the George Kontrafouris Trio as well as the Baby Trio and among others, he is performing with George Trantalidis Trilogia and with Timo Lassy.
Discography
As a leader
With Stefanos Andreadis
With Baby Trio
With Exit
With Page One
As a co-leader
As a sideman
In compilations
As a sideman:
Balkan Voices (FM Records) 1999
Έτσι + Αλλιώς: Έτσι... K' Αλλιώς (S7 records) 1999
Benny Golson: The Athens Sessions (Legend) 2000
Lydia Fylipovic: Nekada (2002)
Mandy Gaines & the Wade Mikkola Quintet: Taking a Chance (AMK) 2006
Timo Lassy: African Rumble (Ricky-Tick) 2006
Eero Koivistoinen Music Society: X-Ray (WolfGang Records) 2006
Manuel Dunkel: Darn That Dream (KSJAZZ) 2007
Dalindeo: Open Scenes (Ricky-Tick) 2007
Jarno Kukkonen: Present & Absent (Kuru Records) 2007
Timo Lassy: The soul & Jazz of (Ricky-Tick) 2007
Timo Lassy: The call / Sweet spot (Ricky-Tick) 2007
Sofia Noiti: Mystic Blues (ANK) 2007
Contrasts: The Quintet (AMK) 2008
Jarno Kukkonen: Open Case (Siba Records) 2009
Timo Lassy: Round Two (Ricky-Tick) 2009
Dalindeo: Soundtrack for the sound eye (Ricky-Tick) 2010
Wade Mikkola: Impromptu Session (Chicken Coup records) 2011
Contrasts: The Quintet Live (KSJAZZ) 2011
Eero Koivistoinen: Minor solutions (Pro records) 2011
Timo Lassy: In with Lassy (Schema) 2012
Banda Magda: Amour, T'es La? (El Capitan) 2013
Timo Lassy: Live with Lassy (Schema) 2013
Timo Lassy: Love Bullet (Membran) 2015
Joyce Elaine Yuille: Welcome to my world (self-released) 2015
Timo Lassy with Ricky-Tick Big Brass: Big Brass (Must Have Jazz) 2020
The Afro Soul Prophecy: Heat in the City (Schema) 2021
Compiliations:
Euro Jazz 2002 (Jazz & Tzaz) 2002
Freedom Jazz Dance Book III (Schema) 2006
Puzzlemusik & Run Devil Run Present (Pop +Rock, Puzzlemusik) 2007
Euro Jazz 2008 (Jazz & Tzaz) 2008
Jazz from Finland (FIMIC) 2008
Jazz from Finland (FIMIC) 2011