Irakli Koiava

Irakli Koiava was born on February 27th, 1979, in Tbilisi, Georgia. His interest in music began in his early childhood. In 2002, he actively began studying percussion instruments and started practicing percussion music. In 2006, Koiava founded a joint project with Azerbaijani jazz musicians, including Yasef Eyvazov (oud). The project was performed in Baku, Azerbaijan, at a jazz club called "Caravan." In March 2008, Irakli was invited to the State Jazz Center in Baku, Azerbaijan, where he performed in a "Drummers' Jam" festival alongside Azerbaijani and Russian musicians, namely Alexander Mashin from Russia (drums), Tofig Djabarov (percussion), Natsik Shirinov (nagara), Ruslan Guseinov (double bass), and Isfar Sarabsky (piano). At that festival, an impromptu trio was born, with Irakli improvising with Isfar Sarabsky and Ruslan Guseinov. In January 2009, Irakli was invited to Lithuania by the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture. While there, he performed many concerts overall. Irakli played in a jam session with Vytautas Labutis (soprano saxophones), Eugenijus Kanevičius (double bass). Irakli played in a jam session with Tomas Razmus (tenor sax), Aras Biskis (percussion) at Jazz Café "Punto Pizza" in Kaunas, Lithuania. In February 2010, the same group with Azerbaijani guest musicians (Isfar Sarabsky, piano; Elchin Shirinov, piano; Tofig Djabarov, percussion; Ruslan Guseinov, bass) performed two concerts of avant-garde music at the Baku Jazz Center in Azerbaijan. In 2010, during the participation in a special project, Jazz Duo with Irakli & Tomas Čiukauskas (saxophone), Irakli himself created five original compositions which are permanently performed during various concerts. Irakli is playing in Riga with Elvis Zant – DJ, Matiss Akuraters-Percussion from Latvia. Since the start of his musical career in 2010, Koiava has performed, composed, and improvised music of various genres and styles in widely different settings with musicians from various countries: Duet with Morgan Banguisa-Djembe from Congo Africa, with Rain Sultanov (soprano saxophones from Azerbaijan). In 2011, he was playing in a new film about Irakli Koiava "My Feelings," directed by Mikheil Chichiboshvili. Irakli is playing in Vilnius with Tomas Dobrovolskas- percussion from Lithuania. In 2013, Irakli was invited to the Tumanishvili Theatre under the invitation of Goga Pipinashvili, and he voiced live a spectacle "Dragon" in 2 acts, which was a great success. In the same year, Irakli invited Rain Sultanov to his new project "My Feelings" and participated in the Kavkaz Jazz Festival in 2013. On September 25th, 2013, Irakli made a trip to a new tour: Yerevan, Spitak, Azerbaijan, Norway, Oslo. During this tour, Irakli conducted master classes in the city of Yerevan and the city of Tbilisi in the Music House and at the company "MIFASI." On November 24th, 2013, in Oslo, Norway, he was invited to Rainbow Studio for a new project of Rain Sultanov, "Seven Sounds of Azerbaijan Inspired By Nature," to release a new CD and DVD. Rain Sultanov "Seven Sounds of Azerbaijan-Inspired By Nature" musicians: Rain Sultanov - saxophones, Alim Qasimov - vocal, Shahin Novrasli - piano, Linnea Olsson - cello, Yasef Eyvazov - oud, Yasuhito Mori - acoustic bass, Peter Nilsson - drums, Irakli Koiava - percussion. Recorded & Mixed by Jan Erik Kongshaug, Rainbow Studio, Oslo. The film was made by Antje Dombrowsky, photos & article by Thomas Melzer, supported by GIZ. Irakli was recorded in Rainbow Studio Trio free jazz improvisations with Shahin Novrasli – piano from AZ, Yasuhito Mori - acoustic bass from SE, Irakli Koiava percussion from GE. On September 20th, 2013, Irakli issued his first album, Irakli Koiava & Friends "My Feelings." There are 12 compositions and an experimental album, Acoustic Udu - 2007 & 2010, 1 disc. On May 1st, 2014, Irakli made a trip to a new solo and duet project with Matiss Akuraters-Percussion from Latvia, "Music's Good for Woods," tour in Poland, Bialystok, Warsaw, Latvia, Riga, Azerbaijan, Baku. On May 22nd, 2014, Irakli played on International Day for Biological Diversity. New Clip "Touched By Nature," organizer Company: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia. Music by Irakli Koiava - Directed by Rati Ramishvili.