Akaga (Bulgaria)

Akaga is one of the most popular Bulgarian bands formed by students of the National Academy of Music in 1992. The band’s musicians are
considered the founders of modern Bulgarian sound. Akaga have recorded five albums, the last (Akaga 1993- 2008) released in late 2008, contains the biggest hits of the group, and 10 new compositions.

The band’s music is a unique blend of fusion jazz, funk, folk music, reggae, soul and even hip-hop.
When it appeared, Akaga was the first small group outside the familiar big band formations which had a leading brass section in its music. During the first years of its existence, the musicians worked mainly in Bulgaria, issuing three albums (Broken dreams, Why and When you see) and their popularity grew. The road continued upward and the band began appearing abroad - in 1998 and 1999 the group performed on outdoor stages of the Montreux Jazz Festival.

In 2000 Akaga released their fourth album, 9, followed by many changes in the band’s composition. For several years the formation focussed on the concert business, especially in Scandinavia. In 2007 Akaga returned to Bulgaria and decided to give a big concert at the National Palace of Culture in Sofia. The audience welcomed them with open arms, paving the way
for the band’s reestablishment in their homeland.

Over the past two years Akaga recorded three successful singles and signed a contract with the
production company Monte Music, which also issued their fifth album Akaga 1993-2008. The band is actively working to implement joint musical projects with wellknown Bulgarian and foreign artists, including Grafa, Dicho, Toma, Spence, Mellow Mac, Pedro Lugo Martinez (El Nene) and others.

Akaga participate actively in television as well. In 2008, as a group of the Magnificent Six and Music Idol 2, and in 2009 in Dancing Stars 2. Regardless of their television and studio projects, Akaga continue their active concert activity in Bulgaria and Europe.