Errol Rackipov

​About "Distant Dreams" , 2017 (Origin Records)

“Over the years, Errol Rackipov has matured as a musician and developed his own voice on the instrument, and as a band leader.

His latest, Distant Dreams, is a real triumph.

He is playing great (no surprise there), but also has written some exciting and original music for the project. And his group members are really first- rate musicians.

That, along with the very professional recording quality of this CD, and you have the complete package. This is what every jazz CD should live up to.”  

-   Gary Burton

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"Another new release from an international star Errol Rackipov which along with his group pushes his early musical influences into modern jazz territory. His new album Distant Dreams, features adventurous melodies that hint at traditional Bulgarian folk songs, and intense performances from Lubomir Gospodinov and David Leon on saxophones and powerful support in the rhythm section of Martin Bejarano on piano, Peter Slavov's bass and Ludwig Alfonso at the drums. Most intriguing are Errol's work on marimba in addition to the vibraphone, as heard on "Odd Times". 

​-   Abe Beeson, KNKX - Seattle 

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​"It is both delightful and engaging. The band simply glides together throughout this journey."

​-   Dave Rogers, WTJU, Richmond 

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​"Errol Rackipov comes in with a date that has a vague Brazilian patina to it that you can't put your finger on. That's because it's jazz inspired by Bulgarian folk music. Bristling with the kind of energy you enjoy when you make a zesty, new discovery, this set is sure to be always welcome in your ear the more you play it. The kind of jazz that gave you your light bulb moment when you really made the turn to jazz in college, this is a fast ball right down the middle that you can't ignore. Well done throughout."

-   Chris Spector, MIDWEST RECORD

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About "Pictures from a Train Window", 2014 (First Orbit Sounds Records)

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​"The recording quality is very high end, I really liked the originality and variety of the tracks. ... I especially liked the way  the vibes and marimba were blended on some of the tracks. 

A nice sound combination that sets it apart from other recordings of just vibraphone. The CD is full of interesting stuff, and it takes more than one listen to notice all the things that are going on. Congratulations!"

Gary Burton, World renowned Jazz Vibraphone player 

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"Listening to the groove laid down by the bandleader on “Mad Djore,” it won’t come as any surprise that the mallet man studied under greats Gary Burton. But there’s also an underlying sensibility that is uniquely his own, and which he expresses in his ability to keep his musicians in focus.

He is a consummate player who shows not only the skin but the internal organs, and whose geometric styling leaves few facets un-rendered. ……his attention to structure leaves an aftertaste that is clean, sonorous, and itinerant.

Tyran Grillo, ECM Reviews, http://ecmreviews.com/2016/02/23/errol-rackipov-group-pictures-from-a-train-window/

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“Rackipov weaves song forms and colors of his evocative new recording.”

Robert Weinberg  Jazziz magazine
Rackipov is a featured artist and a composition sample in the Spring edition 2015 of JAZZIZ magazine

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“An exquisite impressionistic journey that transcends genre, colors you can hear!...…

Errol Rackipov's Pictures From A Train Window transcends genre with a cerebral hybrid of improvisational wonder with a global flair while embracing the fundamentals of what we know as modern jazz here in the United States…..

Errol Rackipov is one of those legit improvisational threats as highly respected artist, composer and educator.”

 A truly stunning effort!”

Brent Black / www.criticaljazz.com

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“an excursion into virtuosity, romance and melody.

mentored by the great Gary Burton, Rackipov is not enslaved to the Burton approach but rather uses it as a springboard into his own creativity.

The whole album is filled with such “magical moments.” With “Pictures from a Train Window,” Errol Rackipov has carved his place in the Jazz world with a group who support his every composed note and wistful daydream. This is a group to be enjoyed for years and years. The right personalities and skill-sets and talents have coalesced into one of the finest debut albums of recent memory.”

Travis Rogers, Jr.  www.weebly.com

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“Rackipov's musical ideas are fresh and meticulous….
Rackipov's "Folk Dance" head could have been by Oliver Nelson on The Blues and the Abstract Truth.”

C. Michael Bailey (**** 4 stars)    www.allaboutjazz.com

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“PICTURES FROM A TRAIN WINDOW is an unique fusion of the lyricism of impressionistic chamber music with the romanticism of Argentinean tango and the edge, excitement, and exploratory spirit of modern jazz with the diverse sonic tapestry of the Eastern European folklore traditions.

The ensemble sound is tight, perfectly modulated to allow each member of the group to rise and sail in solo as well as blend into some of the most lush and exotic sounds available to massage our ears and our senses. This is one of those recordings you want to put on `re-play' endlessly - some to make you life more thrilling. The combination of instruments is truly amazing, offering sounds never hear before.”    

Grady Harp  (***** 5 stars)  www.Amazon.com

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“Rackipov's compositions combine modern jazz and classical elements with the influence of Bulgarian folk music, and his multifaceted arrangements move becomingly from refined lyricism to spirited exaltation, often within the same track. This is a must hear project.”

Scott Albin (***** 5 stars)   www.Amazon.com

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Highlight is when the pairing of vibes and guitar is at the center of things.  Sextet shows equal talent for absorbing moodiness and light-on-its-feet wind sprints.  Flirtations with post-bop, Nordic, folk, straight-ahead and pop music keep the ear interested.

Dave Sumner 5 Stars (www.Bird is the worm)

“Mad Djore" is reminiscent of some of the things McCoy Tyner did post-John Coltrane….

….There's that McCoy Tyner feel to the intro of "Dill Man." Things drift, albeit interestingly, before getting knitted together in the finale….

"Folk Dance" and "Wild River" are both great fun, mixing echoes of Bulgaria with Rackipov's take on America's wide open spaces.

The journey ends with the lovely, Latin-tinged "Once A Mother Had A Child," featuring Gospodinov on clarinet, underpinned by the leader's vibes. If there's any justice, he's written a song destined to become a standard.”

Chris Mosey  (**** 4 stars)  (All About Jazz)

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a master of the vibraphone and marimba where as the leader on Pictures from a Train Window, ably displays his talents in providing a distinct modern/fusion sound where jazz is but one element in a palette of classical chamber and European folk rhythms.

No ordinary slice of jazz, Pictures from a Train Widow is an easy listen, a breath of fresh air, a light-hearted engaging session of modern jazz with a decidedly international flavor sculpted by vibraphonist Errol Rackipov, an artist whose compositions and creative flair, sets him apart from ordinary jazz musicians.

Edward Blanco ( **** 4 Stars)  (All About Jazz)