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).

Jazz Traces

There are times that the Greek popular style is touched by an inspired orchestrator and then a new blend is produced – let’s put “new” into brackets. What I’m talking about is the jazz elements that are sometimes wisely integrated into the popular form. The outcome is something like this…

Kostas Kafasis was a Greek popular singer and actor. He died in 2010.
The song Adio Gia Mas (Goodbye to us) comes from his album Pos Na Fygo (How to Leave) from 1979. The song is credited to Tzini and M. Karra and the orchestration to D. Milios. Check the jazz break after 1:30

Kostas Kafasis - Adio gia mas (1979)

Kaiti Dali has a long history in Greek popular music. Spent several years in Canada and US and came back to Greece in 1971. She collaborated with many great composers for Greek popular music, made a come back through here live performances and the collaboration with Stavros Xarhakos and recently contributed to Vinicio Capossela latest album.

Me Htypoun Katastitha (They Hit Me Right In The Chest) comes from her album Anazito (I’m Looking for) from 1979 (again). The song is written by Th. Polykandioris. By the way D. Milios (mentioned above) also contribute to this album as a composer in 5 songs. Not sure if he lent a hand in orchestration too.
Check how a typical tsifteteli becomes a jazz fusion with horns, trumpet soli and flute after 1:10

Kaiti Dali - Me htypoun katastitha (1979)

John Tikis, real name John Tekes, was born in Athens and moved to Australia at the age of 14. There he started his career as a singer with his group John Tikis & The Playboys. He won gold records and toured all over the world gaining a reputation of a great international performer until 1974 when he returned to Greece.
There he recorded 15 albums, performed with top musicians and then back to Australia, in 1981, where he hosted a TV show for Channel 10 named Let's Go Greek, Endaxi!

Ekana Peiramata (I’ve Made Experiments) comes from his 1977 album Borei Na Efyga (I Might Have Left). The song belongs to M. Karras (again) who’s also responsible for the orchestration and K. Nitsos

John Tikis - Ekana peiramata (1977)

Odyssey

In 1977 Theodoros Roumbanis (grandnephew of Nikos Roumbanis who’s often cited as composer of Misirlou) released an interesting album with the name The Other Odysseus. Initially the work, that was commissioned by the mayor of Ithaque to be presented in its festival, had the form of an operetta. But finally only the music and songs were presented in the concerts and the album that followed. The lyrics belong to Dimitris Iatropoulos with whom he has written more than 200 (yet unreleased) songs (source: VIP The Story of Theodoros Roumbanis by Frida Bioubi).

Scylla and Charybdis - Litsa Sakelariou

In 2006 Mikis Theodorakis wrote a new cycle of songs that were released a year later in Odyssey album. The lyrics belong to Costas Cartelias.
Irina Valentinova provides some very interesting orchestration adding a lyrical layer to Theodorakis compositions.
All songs are sang by Maria Farantouri but one which is interpreted by Theodorakis himself.

Circe - Maria Farantouri

In 2011 composer Nektarios Karantzis and singer/performer Savina Yannatou released an album which is not just inspired by Odyssey; it is Odyssey in the sense that the original ancient text is used.
The composer uses several classical and traditional instruments to create a sound that is Greek and timeless as Odyssey itself.


Tell me O Muse (Andra moi ennepe) - Savina Yannatou