Νταλίκες

Πέθανε σήμερα ο καλός τραγουδιστής - και αδερφός της Χαρούλας Αλεξίου -  Γιώργος Σαρρής αφήνοντας μας μερικά πολύ όμορφα λαϊκά τραγούδια και μια δισκογραφία που καλύπτει σχεδόν δυο δεκαετίες. 

Ο Σαρρής κινήθηκε μακρυά από τα φώτα της δημοσιότητας. Παρόλα αυτά, έφτασε ένα και μόνο τραγούδι για να περάσει στο πάνθεο των κλασσικών: το περίφημο «Με τα φώτα νυσταγμένα (Οι Νταλίκες)» των Χρήστου Νικολόπουλου και Μανώλη Ρασούλη (1982).

Το τραγούδι εμφανίστηκε πρώτη φορά ως «Με τα φώτα νυσταγμένα» στο δίσκο Παίξε Χρήστο Επειγόντως (1982) των Χρήστου Νικολόπουλου και Μανώλη Ρασούλη. Τον επόμενο χρόνο (1983) θα μπει και στον πρώτο προσωπικό δίσκο του Σαρρή ως «Οι Νταλίκες (Με τα φώτα νυσταγμένα)». Τη μουσική του δίσκου,  που επίσης ονομάζεται «Οι Νταλίκες», υπογράφει ο Χρήστος Νικολόπουλος ενώ συμμετέχει και η Χαρούλα. 

Ακούμε τις Νταλίκες και άλλα 6 αγαπημένα λαϊκά άσματα των εθνικών οδών και εθνικών οδηγών.

1. Οι Νταλίκες (Με τα φώτα νυσταγμένα) – Γιώργος Σαρρής  (δίσκος Παίξε Χρήστο Επειγόντως (1982) & Οι Νταλίκες (1983) – Χρήστος Νικολόπουλος / Μανώλης Ρασούλης). 

2. Ζωή Νταλίκα Κόκκινη – Δημήτρης Μητροπάνος (δίσκος Στη Διαπασών (2008) & Εδώ Είμαστε (2011) – Σταμάτης Κραουνάκης).

3. Νταλίκα – Σωτηρία Μπέλλου (δίσκος Φράγμα (1981) – Δήμος Μούτσης / Κώστας Τριπολίτης).

4. Σαν Τρελό Φορτηγό – Γιάννης Πάριος (δίσκος Σαν Τρελό Φορτηγό (1989) – Μάριος Τόκας / Γιάννης Πάριος).

5. Το Φορτηγό – Στράτος Διονυσίου (δίσκος Της Γυναίκας η Καρδιά (1983) – Αλέκος Χρυσοβέργης / Τάσος Γιατράς).

6. Φορτηγό – Γιώργος Νταλάρας (δίσκος Τρελοί και Άγγελοι (1986) – Σταύρος Κουγιουμτζής / Κώστας Κινδύνης)

7. Φορτηγό – Νατάσσα Μποφίλιου (δίσκος Εκατό Μικρές Ανάσες (2005) – Κώστας Τσίρκας / Γεράσιμος Ευαγγελάτος).

"Τελικά Δημοκρατία έχει μόνο η Ελβετία"

Όσοι λατρέψαμε την ερμηνεία του Σταύρου Ξαρχάκου στο Πρακτορείο κάνουμε ήδη πάρτυ!
Επτά καινούρια τραγουδια του, ερμηνευμένα όλα από τον ίδιο! Αυτό από μόνο του θα ήταν νέο αλλά δεν είναι το μόνο.

Οι 7 Ελεγείες και Σάτυρες (2017) είναι ένας σταθμός στη δισκογραφία του για διάφορους λόγους.

Ο μεγάλος συνθέτης μετά από πολύχρονη δισκογραφική απουσία (δισκογραφική, όχι και μουσική), μιλάει για το σήμερα - για το σήμερα στην Ελλάδα - , με σαφείς πολιτικές αναφορές που ξεκινούν από το συνοδευτικό σημείωμα του δίσκου ("Ο Παπανδρέου πέθανε, ο Βαμβακάρης ζει"), επιχειρώντας μια παρέμβαση βασισμένος στους στίχους των Μάνου Ελευθερίου, Θοδωρή Γκόνη και Λίνας Νικολακοπούλου με μόνη συνοδεία ένα πιάνο (Νεοκλής Νεοφυτίδης).

Το Δηλητήριο Που Πίνεις (στίχοι: Μάνος Ελευθερίου)

Όλα δένουν εξαιρετικά σε αυτό το δίσκο.
Και κάτι άσχετο (;): ακούγοντας το δίσκο μου ήρθε στο νου ο Χρήστος Λεττονός.

Τα τραγούδια:
1 ΤΟ ΔΗΛΗΤΗΡΙΟ ΠΟΥ ΠΙΝΕΙΣ
2 Η ΜΠΑΛΑΝΤΑ ΤΩΝ ΦΟΝΙΑΔΩΝ
3 ΒΡΑΔΙΑ ΠΡΩΤΟΧΡΟΝΙΑΣ
4 ΤΗΣ ΝΥΧΤΑΣ ΤΑ ΣΕΝΤΟΝΙΑ
5 ΕΠΙ ΤΗΣ ΚΑΤΕΧΑΚΗ
6 ΓΙΑ ΠΟΙΑΝ ΙΘΑΚΗ ΜΟΥ ΜΙΛΑΣ
7 ΕΘΝΟΣ ΜΟΥ ΕΞΑΙΡΕΤΟ!

Έθνος Μου Εξαίρετο! (στίχοι: Λίνα Νικολακοπούλου)


(παραγωγή: Παρασκευάς Καρασούλος - Μικρή Άρκτος, Έργο εξωφύλλου: Γιώργος Ρόρρης).

Two of the best 2015 albums

Moa Bones’ second album, Spun, is a fine blend of American music (past and contemporary) with some great songs and a lo-fi production that brings out the very essence of the songs.

Moa Bones is the personal vehicle of Dimitris Aronis, singer and guitarist of Modrec.

Dimitris has recorded everything in his home studio and produced the album which was released by InnerEar.

Moa Bones - The Journey (Spun, 2015)

https://www.facebook.com/Moa-Bones-123714774400514/

Thee Holy Strangers have a roster of members coming from Last Drive, Dustbowl, Make Believe, The Earthbound among others.

Their most renowned member, Alexis Kalofolias (Alex K) singer and bass player of Last Drive and The Earthbound, has written the songs of their debut album.

The album was released by their own company Holy Stranger Music in just 300 cd.

Thee Holy Strangers - Silver Lake (Thee Holy Strangers, 2015)



https://www.facebook.com/theeholystrangers/

The Dragon is Dancing

A great psychedelic song from Jimmie Spheeris’ 3rd album with same name (1975).
Spheeris, who died at the age of 34 in a motorcycle accident, was the brother of director Penelope Spheeris and cousin of director Costa Gavras and musician Chris Spheeris.
He released 4 albums and finished recordings of a 5th one just before he died.
He collaborated with many famous artists one of them being Chick Corea who plays piano and moog on The Dragon is Dancing song. Enjoy!


http://www.jimmiespheeris.com/ 

Mash-ups

Today I'm sharing some mashups I did for fun.
The idea was to get some instrumentals I liked (originals from Greek artists) and add vocals from (very) popular songs to come up with a not so obvious mix.

Michael Jackson + Jean Vassilis

The famous Beat it (vocals) combined with Jean Vassilis' super groove Psycho 2000 from his 70s library recording Top Instrumental Music.



Marvin Gaye + Yannis Spanos

Marvin Gaye's Heard it Through the Grapevine (vocals) combined with Yannis Spanos' Psychedelic Shake from Symposium soundtrack.



Motörhead + Sunset

Motörhead's Ace of Spades (vocals) with Sunset's Sunset (1977).



Stevie Wonder + Kostas Kapnisis

Stevie Wonder's Superstition (vocals) combined with Kostas Kapnisis electric interpretation of the Greek folk Hara mou Palikari mou.



Rolling Stones + Thanasis Papakonstantinou

Rolling Stones' Sympathy for the Devil (vocals and guitar solo) combined with Thanasis Papakonstantinou S'afino gia.

Curves

Several months ago, right after The Athenian Project post, Anonymous informed me that the drummer on this recording, Dimitris Kakavoulis, was also the drummer of the pop psychedelic VLS first line up presented on previous post.

Sometime later Dimitris Kakavoulis contacted me and sent me his new cd Curves (self-release, 2012).
As a composer and pianist with his Dimitris Kakavoulis Quartet, he presents 7 original compositions of pure jazz, combining melodic improvisation and rich rhythmic alternation. 


Dimitris Kakavoulis Quartet - DeDoDahDum (Curves, 2012)


The quartet:
Dimitris Kollias: tenor sax
Dimitris Kakavoulis: piano
Periclis Trivolis: bass
Leandros Fratnik: drums

Dimitris Kakavoulis Quartet - Siganopapadia (Curves, 2012)

 Besides his solo work Dimitris Kakavoulis is contributing in various other works.
It is worth mentioning his contribution to J. Kriste, Master of Disguise album Girls, Ghosts and Gods (2009, Puzzlemusik).
This is a very interesting folk, psychedelic album, the second one of Cypriot artist Lefteris Moumtzis. Dimitris Kakavoulis contributes drums, keyboard, cymbals and melodic in 4 compositions.


J. Kriste, Master of Disguise - Treesong (Girls, Ghosts and Gods, 2009)


Finally Dimitris is contributing piano in 2 songs from Thanasis Papakonstadinou album Elahistos Eaftos (The Minimum Self) of 2011.

Thanasis Papakonstadinou - Loco Motivo (The Minimum Self, 2011)

You can find more info about Dimitris Kakavoulis and ask for his records here:
http://www.facebook.com/DKQuartet?ref=ts&fref=ts
http://www.myspace.com/dkq

Resurrection day

A soundtrack to Resurrection day. 

Axis – Pa Vu Ga Di
A cover of an Eastern Orthodox hymn. From their Axis album (1973)

Chryssanthos – Mana mou Mana
A less obvious selection from the great folk album Drosoulites (1975) by Christodoulos Halaris. The lyrics belong to Nikos Gatsos.

Dimitra Galani – Gianni mou to madili sou
A traditional song from Epirus orchestrated by Lena Platonos from the album Mia vradia m’ena tragoudi (1983).

Voula Palla – Mia Omorfi Ipirotisa
From her album Voula Palla (1973). A full fuzz folk album with traditional songs and original ones.

Mastelos Dimitsanos – Treis Mavromates
From Kostas Kapnisis album Dimotikoi Adilaloi (2004). See info in older post here

Psych-Folk Gems

Sometimes traditional music merges so well with contemporary music that one cannot distinguish between old and new – and actually there is no point in doing so as the outcome is so unique and timeless that can form a new genre of its own, or can stay uncategorized but still precious.
This is the case with the following albums which in any case are considered among the best in their creators’ long and successful careers.  

Stavros Xarhakos – Dionyse Kalokairi mas (1972)

This is an album with original compositions orchestrated with electric and traditional instruments.

The album can be categorized under psych-folk but in any case this is restrictive and limited as a tag.

Here’s the song Girnan Amilita Paidia with the voice of the great Cretan singer Nikos Xylouris.






Mariza Koh – Arabas (1971)

This is her first album, featuring original compositions and covers of traditional songs.

Mariza Koh has a long presence since then with more than 20 albums while in 1990 she was awarded by Cornell university of New York for her contribution to music.

The song Skepsis is one of her own compositions in Arabas album.




Christodoulos Halaris – Tropikos tis Parthenou (1973)

Halaris is a composer/musicologist who focuses in ancient Greek music and Byzantine music.

He has created his own label to release his interpretation and reconstruction of ancient Greek music and Byzantine secular music.

He has released several albums with original compositions that combine elements of byzantine, traditional, folk music.




Here’s Anathema p’ Agapisa to Homa sou sung again by Nikos Xylouris.

Latin Mood

One of the greatest Greek female singers and later Manos Hatzidakis muse.
Fleury Dandonaki born in Crete, 1937, has moved in US to study philosophy and theatre.
In 1965 she released her first album, Fleury – The Isles of Greece, in the States for the folk label Vanguard.
In this album she performs folk and popular songs from various countries.
The band features Gus Vali among others.


Here’s her great cover of Luiz Bonfá and Antonio Maria, Manhã de Carnaval.

Dimitra Galani started her career in the 60s. She has collaborated with most of the great Greek composers (Hatzidakis, Tsitsanis, Moutsis, Kraounakis etc).  
Spyros Sakkas, born 1938, is a renowned baritone who has performed original compositions of the most famous composers (Cage, Xenakis, Christou, Crumb etc).
The two of them have proposed to National Greek Radio a series of songs from all over the world which was first broadcasted in 1983.




Here’s Vinicius de Moraes’ and Buden Powell's Samba em Prelúdio.

Zanet Kapuya is not Greek. Or better, she was not born Greek. She was born in Uruguay and moved in Buenos Aires at the age of 13.
From a very early age she studied singing, dancing, guitar and theatre.
By the end of the 70s Kapuya comes to Greece and stays.
In 1979 she releases her first album in Greece, named Songs (Tragoudia) where she performs songs from Spain, Italy, Argentina, Cuba, Peru and Greece.
The Greek songs belong to composer Akis Panou.



Here's El Humahuaqueño from Argentina


and Your World (O Kosmos o Dikos sou) which is an original composition by Akis Panou written for his new born daughter.