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Guitarist Anthony Rikev conquers Bulgarian jazz and pop scene

БНР Новини
Photo: personal library





The Ahead, High Time, Tri-o-five bands are just a part of the work of young and talented Bulgarian guitarist Anthony Rikev. He was born in the city Rousse and has been playing the piano since he was 4. Since then, music became his passion. Tony studied at the music school in the city and in high school he was already obsessed with the guitar. He started his band Ahead Project that played for years in the Youth Center in Rousse. Enormous influence on the development of Tony as a musician played his brother who constantly supplied him with records of foreign bands. 
 
The guitarist finally settled in the city of Sofia and graduated in "Pop and Jazz" from the Pancho Vladigerov Academy of Music. Here is what Anthony Rikev told  the Bulgarian National Radio.

"It all started with a band called ‘Ahead’ some fifteen years ago,” says Anthony Rikev. "We played a lot in music clubs in Sofia. We gathered a few fans and released an album and some music videos to it. The band, however, underwent through a complete transformation. ‘Ahead’ does not exist anymore, but I continue playing with Radoslav Slavchev and Nikolay Danev. A number of projects followed one after the other. I have worked with Beloslava, Zhivko Petrov, Dimitar Semov, Rosen Zahariev – Rocco and others. Composing is a priority for me. I want to create original music that is to remain. That is how we decided to ​​create Music Clinic Records - an independent music label. It is a reflection of our love for this art. We need to create, to leave something of good quality behind, with nice sound and original arrangements. Each artist must focus his or her energy where they feel most useful. Positivism is what keeps me alive.

 In the Tri-o-five band the guitarist has left his mark not only as an instrumentalist but as a composer, too. With this band, he released an album entitled "Travelling." 

One of the newest projects in which Tony Rikev is playing is called "Metaformoza." The project was born at the initiative of Rosen Zahariev - Rocco. Tony Rikev views the project as a successful and interesting experiment.

English version: Alexander Markov




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