Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
you'll find some of our choices at Amazon, but rather more at Thessaloníki-based
Studio 52 (
W
www.studio52.gr), which operates a worldwide online order service.
FOLK
COMPILATIONS
Ì
Lesvos Aiolis
Tragoudhia ke Hori tis Lesvou/Songs &
Dances of Lesvos
(2 CDs). Field recordings (1974-96) of this
island's last traditional music, supervised by musicologist
Nikos Dhionysopoulos. The quality and uniqueness of the
pieces, and lavishly illustrated booklet, merit the expense.
Seryiani sta Nisia Mas, vol 1
. Excellent retrospective of
mostly 1950s
nisiótika
hits and artists; the easiest way to
hear the vintage stars cited on p.938. A highlight is Emilia
Hatzidhaki's rendering of “Bratsera”.
Thalassa Thymisou: Tragoudhia ke Skopi apo tis
Inousses
. Superb result of Thessaloníki music school En
Khordais' “field trip” to Inoússes, a small islet near Híos;
live sessions in Inoussan tavernas plus studio recordings.
western Asia Minor, plus an orchestra directed by Ross Daly,
and guest Yiorgos Dalaras.
Ì
Petro-Loukas Halkias
Petro-Loukas Chalkias and
Kompania
(World Network, Germany). Halkias and his
kompanía
(group) of
laoúto
,
violí
, guitar and percussion
realize the true sense of the
kompanía
: tight coordination,
yet clearly articulated instrumental voices.
Xanthippi Karathanasi
Tragoudhia ke Skopi tis
Makedhonias/Songs and Tunes of Macedonia
. A native of
Halkidhikí, Karathanasi is a foremost interpreter of north-
mainland material - and her sidemen are so good they
almost steal the show.
Andonis Xylouris
(Psarandonis)
Palio Krasi In'iy Skepsi
Mou
and
Idheon Antron
. Psarandonis - shunned by other
Cretan musicians - has an idiosyncratically spare and
percussive
lýra
style, but here unusual instruments are well
integrated into a densely textured whole. Daughter Niki
executes a gorgeous rendition of “Meraklidhiko Pouli” on
Idheon Antron
.
ARTISTS
Ì
Khronis Aïdhonidhis
T'Aïdhonia tis Anatolis: Songs
of Thrace and Asia Minor
. Flawlessly produced 1990 session
featuring the top singer of material from Thrace and
REMBÉTIKA
COMPILATIONS
Greek Archives
. This 1990s series has skeletal English
notes but well-chosen track selections. From the 28 discs
still in print, go for
Rembetiko
Song in America vol 1, 1920-
1940
;
Women of the Rembetiko Song
;
Anthology of Rebetiko
Songs 1933-1940
and
Anthology of Smyrnean Songs 1920-
1938 vol 1
.
Ì
Greek Orientale: Smyrneic-Rembetic Songs
and Dances
(Arhoolie-Polylyric, US). Superb collection
spanning 1911 to 1937, with Roza, Rita, Marika Papagika
and Dhimitris Semsis.
Lost Homelands: The Smyrneic Song in Greece
1928-35
(Interstate/Heritage, UK). Exceptional sound
quality and literate liner notes give this collection the edge
over rivals.
Ì
Rembetika: Songs of the Greek Underground
1925-1947
(Trikont, Germany). This crammed-full, 2-CD
set makes an excellent starter collection, with classics such
as Papaïoannou's “Pende Ellines ston Adhi” and Kaldaras'
“Nykhtose Horis Fengari”.
Ì
Rough Guide to Rebetika
(World Music Network,
UK). The best single introduction to the genre, with performers
from its earliest recorded days to current revivalists.
renditions of standards and rare gems with her usual
sidemen Semsis, Tomboulis, and Lambros on
kanonáki
.
Ì
Marika Ninou
Stou Tzimi tou Hondrou/At Jimmy the
Fat's
. Poor sound quality - it was a clandestine recording
- but still a classic: one of the few documents of a live
rembétic evening, with Ninou and Tsitsanis performing at
their habitual club in 1955.
Rebetiki Kompania
Pos Tha Perasi Iy Vradhia
The
easiest-found offering from a group that spearheaded the
late-1970s rembétika revival.
Ì
Tetras Iy Xakousti tou Pireos
The gang of four -
Vamvakaris, Batis, Anestis and Stratos - at the height of
their form.
Vangelis Papazoglou 1897-1943
1920s/30s
compositions sung by the era's top stars, including Stellakis
Perpiniadhis, Roza Eskenazi, Kostas Roukounas and Rita
Abatzi. Poor sound quality, but several versions of his
classic “Iy Lahanadhes”.
Vassilis Tsitsanis
Vassilis Tsitsanis 1936-1946
(Rounder,
US). Mostly male singers, but includes several rare (for him)
mastoúriaka
. The 20 hits of
Ta Klidhia
- look for the ring of
three keys (
klidhiá
) on the cover - pair him with such mid-
1960s stars as Grigoris Bithikotsis, Kaity Grey and Poly Panou.
Markos Vamvakaris
Bouzoúki Pioneer 1932-1940
(Rounder, US). Excellent sound quality, good notes and
unusual material.
Ì
Stavros Xarhakos
Rembetiko
. Soundtrack to the
eponymous film, and virtually the only “original” rembétika
composed in the last fifty years; lyrics by Nikos Gatsos.
ARTISTS
Dhimitris Moustakydhis
16 Rebetika Paigmena se Kithara
.
Thessalonian revivalist gem: 16 classics, mostly from the
1920s and 1930s, accompanied by guitar instead of
bouzoúki
.
Roza Eskenazi: Rembetissa
(Rounder, US). Ace
