Steppin’ Out Jazz Band: Tribute to Nancy Wilson

The Steppin’ Out Jazz Band honors singer Nancy Wilson, the ‘Song Stylist’ as she liked to be known, in this tribute featuring a selection of her songs, artfully interwoven with captivating details about her life and music. From her early collaborations with George Shearing and Cannonball Adderley to her biggest hits, enjoy the best of Nancy Wilson as interpreted by one of the most well-established Jazz bands in Cyprus!

Nancy Wilson was an American singer whose career spanned over five decades. She recorded more than 70 albums and won three Grammy Awards for her work. During her performing career Wilson was labeled a singer of blues, jazz, R&B, pop, and soul, a "consummate actress", and "the complete entertainer". The title she preferred, however, was "song stylist".

Vocalist Alice Ayvazian will be joined with Dimitris Miaris (piano) and Costas Challoumas (double bass) with their wealth of experience, expertise and exciting arrangements of timeless Jazz songs, under the stars in the garden of Technopolis 20, on Friday, 18th of June 2021, at 8pm.

Entrance: €12

ONLY with reservations by phone at 70002420 and presales.

Tickets available:

- Technopolis 20 art centre. Opening hours: Wednesday – Friday, 9am – 1pm

- Online banking (email us at info@technopolis20.com for details)

Information: 70002420

Limited number of seats available, due to the measures announced by the government to deal with the pandemic of COVID-19.

*Audiences should carry a rapid test or PCR valid for 72 hours or have been vaccinated with at least the first dose of the vaccine three weeks before or to have been infected by the Covid-19 during the last three months*

The venue takes all the necessary precautions and follows the instructions announced by the government, in order to ensure your health and safety.

A few words about the musicians

Alice Ayvazian received her Bachelor’s Degree in Vocal Performance from Berklee College of Music, Boston, Massachusetts, a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Saint Mary’s University, San Antonio, Texas and a second Master’s in Classical Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Nicosia, Cyprus. In the United States, she participated as lead and backing vocalist in numerous studio recording projects as well as various performances and concerts. Since returning to Cyprus, she has established her reputation as an active figure in the local jazz scene performing alongside with some of the best musicians in Cyprus. She is the lead vocalist of the Steppin’ Out Jazz Band with Konstantinos Efraimidis (clarinet/saxophone) and Dimitris Miaris (piano). A member of the Cyprus Voice Centre, Alice is also a sought-after clinician and vocal coach. She has presented various vocal workshops & seminars for choirs, educational institutions and music conservatories. In addition to her singing activities, Alice has conducted research on the early-twentieth-century Armenian composer Komitas Vardapet, which she has presented at the Komitas and Medieval Music Culture International Conference in Yerevan, Armenia (2016). She is currently instructor of Jazz Voice at the Department of Music and Dance at the University of Nicosia (since 2009) and the Director of the University’s Jazz Choir (since 2011). She is also a voice instructor at the Musicopolis music school.

Dimitris Miaris was born in Nicosia in 1991. He started playing classical piano from 6 years old. At the age of 16 Dimitris had his first connection with Jazz through the “Jazz Futures” workshops that took place in Nicosia with great musicians such as Sacha Perry, Vahagn Hayrapetyan, Ari Roland and Chris Byars. Since then, he took part in almost all the “Jazz Futures” workshops and had various live performances in Cyprus and Greece. He also attended the monthly Bicommunal Workshops with Charis Ioannou. The last two years he participated in Dr. Barry Harris’ workshops in Rome. He is also a member of ‘Neorebetes’, a Greek traditional band, where he plays the accordion. The band has performed in Cyprus, Greece, Kazan (Russian), Sydney and Melbourne (Australia). He received his bachelor’s degree for Jazz Piano at the Ionian University’s Jazz Department in 2009 under the instruction of George Kontrafouris.

Costas Challoumas was born and raised in Larnaca. He studied pedagogy at the University of Cyprus, where he graduated in 1999. He studied double bass and music theory with Nikos Ioannou and continued his studies at ‘The Collective School of Music’ in New York with Sean Conly and Joe Fitzjerald. For twenty years he is a member of various musical ensembles (traditional, jazz, latin etc) and also of music and theatre performance groups. Amongst others, he was a member of the musical ensemble of ancient instruments “Terandros”, the original Cuban band “Havana Noche” and “Turnaround Jazz Quartet”, while the last years he is the artistic director of “Makam Ensemble”.