Υπερρεαλισμός Χ3

Ο Νίκος Λαρυγγάκης με το δεύτερο δίσκο του, το 1987, καταθέτει έναν ολόκληρο δίσκο με μελοποιημένα ποιήματα του Ανδρέα Εμπειρίκου.
Ο δίσκος "Πτερά Του Μοντεζούμα" περιλαμβάνει 7 μελοποιημένα ποιήματα (και έναν πρόλογο) που επέλεξε ο Άκος Δασκαλόπουλος, μελοποίησε ο Λαρυγγάκης και ερμηνεύει ο ίδιος και η πρωτοεμφανιζόμενη Ελένη Αντωνιάδου. 

Οι Μιχάλης Σιγανίδης και Θοδωρής Ρέλλος κυκλοφόρησαν το 1990 το άλμπουμ «ΤΟ ΠΡΩΙ ΚΑΙ ΤΟ ΒΡΑΔΥ». Τζαζ, αυτοσχεδιασμός, ηχητικά κολάζ και η ποίηση του Μίλτου Σαχτούρη (διαβασμένη από τον ίδιο) όπως ποτέ δεν αποδόθηκε από άλλο μουσικό σχήμα.

Το 2010 κυκλοφορεί η «Ύδρα ΤΩΝ ΠΟΥΛΙΩΝ», μια προσπάθεια μελοποίησης-απόδοσης της ποίησης του Νίκου Εγγονόπουλου από τον Socos. Ο Δημήτρης Πουλικάκος αναλαμβάνει να απαγγείλει-αποδώσει τα ποιήματα και το όλο αποτέλεσμα είναι ένας εξαιρετικά ενδιαφέρον δίσκος υπερρεαλιστικής ποίησης.

6 άλμπουμ που ξεχωρίσαμε το 2017 και μια πρόβλεψη για το 2018

Blues: Illegal Operation – Down
Σύγχρονο blues με φοβερές συνθέσεις, καλή παραγωγή, ωραία παιξίματα και λειτουργική ενορχήστρωση. Όλα σε ισορροπία. Τέλειο.

Rock: Baby Guru – IV
Οι Baby Guru είναι η πιο σημαντική μπάντα του εγχώριου ροκ αυτή τη στιγμή καθώς η επιρροή της (και των μελών της) ξεπερνά τη δική της δισκογραφία και αποτυπώνεται σε μια σειρά από παραγωγές / συμμετοχές σε δουλειές άλλων αλλά και στις solo δουλείες των μελών της.

Pop: The Man From Managra – Half a century man
Το δεύτερο άλμπουμ του The Man from Managra (Coti K) περιέχει μια ακόμα παρτίδα καλοφτιαγμένων ΤΡΑΓΟΥΔΙΩΝ από αυτά που σπάνια συναντά κανείς σήμερα. Κορυφαία ποπ (με την ευρύτερη – παλαιότερη – έννοια του όρου, με τραγούδια με κουπλέ/ρεφραίν, λιτές ενορχηστρώσεις και εκφραστικές ερμηνίες).

World: Trio Tekke & Dave De Rose – Zivo
Οι Trio Tekke πάνε ένα βήμα παραπέρα τον ήχο τους (με βάση το ρεμπέτικο) και με τη βοήθεια του Dave De Rose (εκτός από τη μουσική του συνεισφορά, το βάρος του βιογραφικού του ενδέχεται να ανοίξει κάποιες πόρτες κάτι που ούτως ή άλλως οι Trio Tekke το αξίζουν).

Jazz: Yiannis Kassetas – Northern Lights
O Γιάννης Κασσέτας σε ένα ακόμα κοσμικό ταξίδι με την αφρόκρεμα της ελληνικής τζαζ αλλά και τον Αμερικανό σαξοφωνίστα Craig Handy. Ένα περιπετειώδες άλμπουμ που σε συνεπαίρνει.

Έντεχνο: Σταύρος Ξαρχάκος – Ελεγείες και Σάτιρες
Μια έκπληξη της χρονιάς τόσο για το μουσικό/στιχουργικό μέρος, όσο και για την παρουσία του Ξαρχάκου ως βασικού ερμηνευτή του δίσκου.

Τέλος ακούσαμε το trailer (μόνο) της νέας δουλειάς του Τάκη Μπαρμπαγάλα. Πρόκειται για το Nocturne, το δεύτερο προσωπικό του άλμπουμ (μετά το Phosphorus Hesperus του 2015) που θα κυκλοφορήσει το Φλεβάρη 2018. Θα περιέχει τέσσερις συνθέσεις (η μία διασκευή σε πρελούδιο του Bach). 

Αναμένουμε… 

SPACE.GR - A Greek Space Odyssey

Με αφορμή την έκθεση "Η Εποχή του Διαστήματος - Ηλεκτρική και Ηλεκτρονική Τέχνη στην Ελλάδα 1957-1989" στο Ρομάντσο (22/6 - 10/9/2017), παρουσιάζουμε εδώ μια συλλογή τραγουδιών/συνθέσεων προερχόμενων από το διάστημα. Τραγούδια/συνθέσεις δηλαδή που "ασχολούνται" στιχουργικά ή μουσικά με τα διαστημικά ταξίδια, τις διαστημικές βάσεις, τα ΑΤΙΑ, τους πλανήτες, κλπ.

Η λογική της συλλογής είναι να συγκεντρωθούν εκείνες οι συνθέσεις που, ενώ μουσικά μπορεί να ανήκουν σε διαφορετικά είδη (electronic, rock, jazz, κλπ), ηχητικά έχουν στοιχεία αυτού που μπορεί να χαρακτηριστεί space ή cosmic music και φτιάχνουν ένα σύνολο που "ταξιδεύει" τον ακροατή.

Απουσιάζουν λοιπόν πολλά από τα "γερά" space χαρτιά όπως πχ τα Αστρόνειρα και ο Τουρνάς, ο Σιδερένιος Άνθρωπος των 2002GR και άλλα (θα υπάρξει συνέχεια...).
7 τραγούδια λοιπόν από τη δεκαετία 2010 (τα πλέον πρόσφατα), 3 από τη δεκαετία 2000, 2 από τα 90s και 4 από τα 70s, σύνολο 16 τραγούδια με θέμα το διάστημα.

Tracklist

1. Albedo 0.39 - Vangelis (1976)
2. Spacestation 61 - The Flow (2003)
3. Celestial Mercury - Vault of Blossomed Ropes (2014)
4. Close Your Eyes When Orbiting New Planets - 2L8 (2011)
5. U.F.O. - Nightstalker (1996)
6. Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun - Andreas Polyzogopoulos (2013)
7. Star Trek - Oasis (1979)
8. Astro-Man Theme - Prins Obi (2017)
9. Cosmos - Mr. Z (2015)
10. Blues From A Far Asteroid - Baby Trio (2012)
11. Jupiter - Sundayman (2016)
12. Up-Celestial Ecstasy - Glafx (1997)
13. 3000 Astra - Fantastikoi Hxoi (2008)
14. U.F.O. - Vavoura Band (1979)
15. Paraxena Nea Apo Kapoio Allo Astro - Diafana Krina (2008)
16. Astral Abuse - Alpha Beta (1971)

Χθες το Βράδυ

Σε αυτό το νέο του δίσκο (Χθες το Βράδυ) ο Δημήτρης Καλαντζής διασκευάζει κλασικά "ελαφρά" τραγούδια των Γιαννίδη, Καπνίση, Σουγιούλ, Σπάρτακου, Μουζάκη, Μωράκη, Γιάκοβλεφ και Θεοφανίδη.
Ο Καλαντζής διευθύνει μια ορχήστρα 27 μουσικών με οδηγούς 3 γυναικείες φωνές (Αθηνά Ρούτση, Πηνελόπη Τζανετάκη και Τέρρυ Βακιρτζοπούλου) συν 2 guests: την Αλέκα Κανελίδου και την Έλλη Πασπαλά.

smooth jazz, mambo, bossa-jazz, bolero, swing

Ποτέ μην Κλαις, του Τάκη Μωράκη και του Κώστα Κοφινιώτη. Πρώτη ηχογράφηση: 1955.
Εδώ με την Πηνελόπη Τζανετάκη.

Εδώ αξίζει να αναφέρουμε και μια ακόμα ερμηνεία του τραγουδιού αυτου. Ήταν 2013 όταν ο Δημήτρης Καλαντζής συμμετείχε ως πιανίστας στο δίσκο του Πρίαμου Μωράκη The Athenian Project. Η Πηνελόπη Τζανετάκη τραγουδούσε και εκεί το ίδιο τραγούδι σε διασκευή του Πρίαμου Μωράκη αυτή τη φορά.

Great Voices

This is the first recording of Kouky Marakis, a singer born in Egypt. 
The single Say you love me/You’re one hell of a lady (both songs are written by William Sheller) was released in 1969 and from the sleeve notes we read that Marakis’ voice can be compared to the greatest singers of his time. Indeed.






Kouky Marakis - Say you love me (1969)

Tassos Papastamatis was the singer of Forminx. 
Here he sings Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps for the TV Show “From grandfather to grandson” hosted by composer George Mouzakis. Selected songs from the show were released as a record in 1976.

Tassos Papastamatis - Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps (1976)

Exotica

Kostas Bezos (1905 – 1943) was a rembetico player but also a Hawaiian group bandleader. Pame sti Honolulu (Let’s go to Honolulu) was recorded in the early 30s, while Ta Aspra Poulia sta Vouna (The White Birds in the Mountains) was recorded in 1936 in Athens, Greece.
The two songs are some of the few exotica-sound Greek songs (although before the term was really established in the 50s by Les Baxter and Martin Denny) including animal sounds (the second one) and Hawaiian influences.


Pame sti Honolulu (Let's go to Honolulu) Ta Aspra Poulia sta Vouna (The White Birds in the Mountains)
info from Mademoiselle Montana

Trio Latino issued a 4-track single in 1966 including Cantos de Selva as opening track.
It is their own composition and another example of Greek exotica with hammond, animal and bird sounds.

Cantos de Selva
info Vinylmine

Sperantza Vrana (1928 – 2009) was a singer, actress, writer and performer. Here’s a mambo from 1954 performed in the movie Athens Beauty (I Orea ton Athinon).  Music belongs to George Mouzakis.

Afto to Mambo (This Mambo)

Jazz Bouzouki

They call him “phenomenon”. Michalis Paouris has a target: to make bouzouki famous as a leading jazz instrument. He is not the first to play jazz bouzouki but certainly he is impressive. To quote Al Di Meola “His technique is ridiculously fast! So it reminds me of me when I was 25 years younger…”
Born in Athens, he started playing bouzouki at 8 and he has released 2 albums up to now.



The Rosenberg trio & Michael Paouris - Minor Swing (2012)


Al Di Meola - Peo Alfonsi & Michael Paouris in Athens


Silencio from his latest album Disharmony

Check blog, FB, YouTube


Nikos Tatasopoulos was born in USA and is the son of bouzouki soloist John Tatasopoulos. While in US he studied classical piano and jazz guitar. He started playing the bouzouki at the age of 3 and toured extensively with his father. At the age of 19 he returned in Greece and since then he has collaborated with many great Greek artists.

Minor Swing


www.nikostatasopoulos.com/


Manolis Karantinis is a bouzouki virtuoso with 2 personal albums and numerous appearances in works of great Greek composers and singers. His style incorporates elements of rembetico, Spanish music and jazz.

Bouzouki in Spain

www.karantinis.com/en/


George Hristidis is another bouzouki prodigy. In 1982 he released the album From East to West (Ap' Anatoli se Dysi) with Mimis Plessas covering Greek and international standards.

Carnaval (Luiz Bonfa)

Diamantis Hiotis is the son of the famous Manolis Hiotis. He is a multi-instrumentalist and inventor of the bouzouki with 5 strings (his father invented the bouzouki with 4 strings which together with the tuning made the jazz playing possible).

Diamond Tecckilla



Harry Lemonopoulos, born 1923 in Katerini, Greece and died 1975 in US is considered one of the best classic bouzouki players. Although he started as a violonist and guitarist he took bouzouki to another level.

Selection from Gypsy Melodies (Tsitsornia) from the album The Golden Fingers of Harry Lemonopoulos
 

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

Jazz Standards

George Mouzakis was a composer, conductor and trumpet player.
He formed his own orchestra in 1940 and composed more than 2500 songs.
Mouzakis marked his era with his deep jazz feeling and knowledge.
His songs were sang and covered by some of the best male and female singers of the time.
Here are two classic jazz tunes...


Sou Sfyrizo - Terry Hrisos


Alimono se Sena - Zozo Sapountzaki



Mimis Plessas (see older posts) is the composer who maintained two distinct, parallel and equally important careers. As a composer of Greek popular music and as a jazz composer and pianist. When we are talking about Greek vocal jazz standard we are talking about this…

An s'arnitho Agapi mou - Tzeni Vanou

Pires Pia ta Matia Sou - Zoitsa Kouroukli 

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)

Swinging

Katerina Polemi has what we call Duende. It is present in her live shows, it’s also present in her recordings.
Born in London but raised between Greece and Brazil, Katerina, got something of the extroversion of both worlds and implanted it in her music and performance.

Her natural talent is backed up by some very good studies at the Berklee College of Music that, I guess, provided the professional perspective and helped her shape the ideas and energy into some great swing/gypsy jazz music.

In 2011 she released her first album with original compositions:  
Spread the Music Not the Name




visit: http://www.katerinapolemi.com/

The Speakeasies Swing Band: The band that took its name of the Speakeasies movement of 1920s originated in Thessaloniki in 2010. Since then they participated in many Lindy Hop Greece events and festivals.

They count 8 members playing electric and acoustic guitar, double bass, piano, clarinet, sax, violin and drums providing a very full swing sound with nice instrumentation and featuring a very good female vocalist.

Their first EP, Bathtub Gin, is to be released by end of July 2012 by Liquid Bass Records.

Check this great song and the equally good video clip: Black Swamp Village



visit: http://www.speakeasies.gr/

The Athenian Project

Priamos Morakis has carefully selected a set of 50s and 60s standards of what is called “elafro” song (similar to chanson and bel canto) and transformed them into today’s jazz tunes.

The Athenian Project is an 11-track album (7 songs penned by his father, the famous composer Takis Morakis, 1 song by Kostas Kapnisis, 1 by Priamos Morakis, 1 by Penelope Tzanetaki and Henri Betti’s C’est si bon).

The album features some of the best Greek, jazz musicians:  Priamos Morakis (guitar), Dimitris Kalantzis (piano), Pericles Trivolis (bass), Filippos Papas (saxes and flute), Socratis Ganiaris (percussion), Christos Rafailides (vibes), Manos Loutas (bass), Leandros Fratnik (drums), Dimitris Kakavoulis (drums).
Also featuring a string quartet and of course the beautiful voice of Penelope Tzanetaki.
The Boy and the Dolphin, Takis Morakis most famous song, opens the album and is also featured in its Greek version, Ti Einai Afto Pou To Lene Agapi (What’s this thing called love).
Another 50s song by Takis Morakis, Tha s’ Agapo (I Will Love You) is recorded for the first time on this record.

Priamos Morakis Quintet - Tha s' Agapo (I Will Love You)

You can buy the album here 
Priamos Morakis page (under construction): http://www.priamosmorakis.com/

Into the Groove

Biri Biri

Biri Biri were formed back in 2003 when the 8 musicians first met in Crete. With references such as Tom Waits, James Brown, Thelonious Monk, Billie Holiday, Miles Davis, Psarantonis, Bob Marley (to name a few) and instruments like bongos, shakers, darbouka, Chinese gong, Rudal heater (!!!!), trumpets, sax, guitars, bass and drums, they sure sound funky with a rock attitude. Their album Biri Biri was released in 2009 by Spinalonga.

www.biribiriband.com

Biri Biri - Doze 8

Dr. Vodkatini

They were formed by the end of the 90s. Their name comes from Vodka + Martini to show their cosmopolitan inclination that’s present in their music too.
Soul, jazz, latin and funk is nicely blended by the 10 good musicians to give an amusing and inspired dance album: Indulge In A Big Swig! (2007) by Prominence Recordings.Check.

http://drvodkatini.com


Super Mario and the Exotic Watermelons

Super Mario and the Exotic Watermelons were formed in 2010 by dj Super Mario with an orientation towards funk, afro-beat and acid jazz.
They have released their first 7”, Santa Maria, in 2010 (amola kalimba records)

http://www.myspace.com/supermarioexotictunes

The Producer

Quincy Jones is not Greek of course but at least 3 times he has produced works of Greeks.

First collaboration was with famous Greek singer Nana Mouskouri.
Nana, born 1934 in Crete, Greece, has sold millions of records worldwide, hosted TV shows for BBC, toured, collaborated and recorded with famous artists in a career spanning over 5 decades.

In 1962 she met Quincy Jones and recorded with him the album The Girl from Greece Sings (the cd re-issue has a different title: Nana Mouskouri in New York and 3 bonus tracks).

The Touch of Your Lips from The Girl from Greece Sings (1962)


I Get a Kick Out of You from (only available as bonus on cd re-issue Nana Mouskouri in New York)


Second time he produced for a Greek artist was in 1965. He was the producer for Manos Hatzidakis’ masterpiece Gioconda’s Smile (see older post).

Third time it was for Vangelis composition State of Independence.
The song (music by Vangelis, lyrics by Jon Anderson) was first released as a single in 1981 by Jon and Vangelis and was included in their album The Friends of Mr. Cairo (1981).
This was produced by Vangelis.




One year later Donna Summer released the album Donna Summer which included a cover of State of Independence.
This one was produced by Quincy Jones and the choir featured Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Dionne Warwick and others.





Here's Donna Summer's cover produced by Quincy Jones


and here's Jon and Vangelis original composition from Friends of Mr. Cairo (1981)

Crooners

George Chakiris (or Kerris) born 1934, son of Greek immigrants has a long and successful career as a dancer and actor.
As a dancer he appeared in famous movies like Gentlemen Prefer Blondes with Marilyn Monroe.
As an actor he starred with Charlton Heston and Gene Kelly among others.

But the milestone in his career is definitely his role in West Side Story (1961) which won him the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
In the 60s he also first appeared as a singer and released 3(?) LPs and several singles. In the 80s he made a French album (Rappelle Toi) singing compositions of Pierre Bachelet and others.

Moon River from album Memories are Made of These (1963)

Aristotelis “Telly” Savalas (1922 – 1994) is best known for his role as Kojak in the 70s crime TV series with same name.
His career as actor spans 4 decades and he was nominated for Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Birdman of Alcatraz (1962).

Telly as a singer collaborated with composer/producer John Cacavas during the 70s. In 1975 he scored a #1 hit in Europe with spoken word version of If.

Here's Without Her a cover of Nilsson's 1967 song from Telly (1974) album (with John Cacavas as an arranger)

Tassos Papastamatis (1938 – 2010) was the singer of Greek 60s group Forminx (Vangelis Papathanasiou was the keyboard player and composer).
His deep voice won him the title of the Greek Bing Crosby as it is often mentioned.
Tassos has not a lengthy discography outside the Forminx. A couple of singles, a full cover album and a contribution to George Mouzakis album is all that’s left from this great singer.

Here’s Stranger in the Night from a 1966 single (orchestra conducted by Stan Hopkins)

On the Jazz Side

Yannis Spanos is a very special case of a composer.
He lived in Paris during the 60s and 70s where he served “la Nouvelle Vague” as a pianist and a composer. He collaborated with Brigitte Bardot, Juliette Gréco, Marcel Rothel, Michael Legrand among others.
During the 70s he returned to Greece where he initiated the Greek version of Nouvelle Vague (Neo Kyma).





Here’s La Panthere from Juliette Gréco album Complainte Amoureuse (1969)

Yiannis Spanos is also the composer of many soundtracks including Anazitisis (1972), This Summer (1971), Symposium (1972), Pavlos Melas (1974).

Listen to the funky Psychedelic Shake from the acclaimed Symposium soundtrack, produced by Michel Legrand, for Dimitris Kollatos film.


And here’s a fine blues/jazz tune from the movie Ransom Baby of 1972.
The soundtrack remains unreleased and what you find here is the pieces of the song I gathered from 3 different parts of the movie and joined them to come up with the full song.
Enjoy.

Brothers and Sisters

KALOUTA SISTERS

Anna and Maria Kalouta (1920 – 1918) were raised to be stars.
They first appeared on stage in 1925.
The duo performed all over the world since 1950, recorded and appeared in movies.
It is said they also collaborated with Yma Sumac and Maurice Chevalier among others.





A Beating Heart

BROYER SISTERS

Errica and Margarita Broyer first appeared as a duo in 1961.
They singed and danced to modern rhythms of the era and soon became one of the most famous acts of 60s night life.
They also appeared in numerous movies.





  


Little Kiss


KATSAMBA BROTHERS

Born in the 40s, John and George Katsamba, became famous as the Katsamba Brothers duo.
Although most of their albums are in Greek, they became very popular for their latin performances.
They also scored some international hits as Los Hermanos Cachamba.
Their first self titled album was released in 1968.
Next year they released the album Melodies of Latin America which includes this version of Manolo Escobar, El Porompompero.


El Porompompero


ELEFTERIADU SISTERS

Martha and Tena Elefteriadu, born 1946/1948, to Greek political refugees, grew up in Brno in former Czechoslovakia. They began their musical journey in the 60s with beat group Vulkán. They had a successful career during the 60s and 70s. Martha had an interesting solo career in the 70s in a more funky mood.







Srdce na dlani (1970)

Horizont (Martha solo, 1980)

Unreleased Soundtracks

Back to the 70s soundtracks with some unreleased ones. As in other posts with unreleased soundtracks, I have done some editing in order to improve sound. Some noises still exist but in any case I did my best.

So the first one comes from a 1975 movie, The Navel (Synomosia sti Mesogeio was the Greek title).
It’s a spy movie shot in various places with some great funk/jazz music from the great George Hatzinasios. Hatzinasios is a composer who not only has a jazz feeling but also knows how to conduct a small orchestra. Although he has released a number of quite significant soundtracks (The Hook, Soul and Flesh etc), a great portion of his work with movies remains unpublished.

The Navel (1975)

Mikaela is a sexploitation movie released in 1975.
Credits for the original music belong to George Paris and from a quick search I didn’t find any other soundtrack he has composed (although he was credited as Music Supervisor in at least 9 more Greek movies of the 70s). The score is a typical, funky exploitation one.


Mikaela, Sweet Temptation (1975)

The Last Flight is a drama from 1978.
The movie has some really great music from the soundtrack master Kostas Kapnisis and it is really a pity that the soundtrack is not released.

About Kapnisis we have said a few things in older posts and hopefully we’ll present more of his work in the future.

Here’s a small sample, a bossa nova from Last Flight.



Last Flight (1978)

Mano's Jazz

Dimitris Kalantzis eventually found the best host for his creation.
So the jazz tribute to Manos Hatzidakis’ music is released by Verve and is simply a jazz masterpiece.
Hatzidakis was not a jazz composer. Jazz was there of course, either in pure form like in The Last Lie from 1957 Kakogianis’ movie soundtrack, or as an influence with some jazz elements and “touches” in works like Joconda’s Smile.
What Dimitris Kalantzis did is transformed some of the finest classical music into a pure jazz delight interpreted by a jazz quintet and a classical orchestra.
The outcome would make Hatzidakis proud.

Here's a sample from May I Be Your World (Dedication) - Dimitris Kalantzis Quintet (from Mano's album, 2011)


It certainly gives another perspective to Hatzidakis music that was hard to imagine. Kalantzis and his Quintet having mastered their art, they considered this as a natural next step: to take the great composer’s music they grew up listening and make it theirs.

Street Song - Dimitris Kalantzis Quintet (from Mano's album, 2011)


Athens Kamerata does a great job supporting the Quintet by filling or leaving space to the great musicians. Kamerata’s conductor is Miltos Logiadis and the string arrangements belong to Jiannis Antonopoulos.

Dimitris Kalantzis Quintet are:

Dimitris Kalantzis: piano, arrangements
Takis Paterelis: alto saxophone
Andreas Polyzogopoulos: trumpet, fluegelhorn
Alexandros-Drakos Ktistakis: drums
George Georgiadis: double bass

You can also listen to Away On the Misty River here

Duende

Definition (Wikipedia): El duende is the spirit of evocation. It comes from inside as a physical/emotional response to music. It is what gives you chills, makes you smile or cry as a bodily reaction to an artistic performance that is particularly expressive.

Federico García Lorca writes in his Duende speech: "Duende, then, is a power, not a work. It is a struggle, not a thought. I have heard an old maestro of the guitar say, 'Duende is not in the throat; duende climbs up inside you, from the soles of the feet.' Meaning this: it is not a question of ability, but of true, living style, of blood, of the most ancient culture, of spontaneous creation"

Alexia - Remember Boston (from Re-Be 2010)


"Duende's arrival always means a radical change in forms. It brings to old planes unknown feelings of freshness, with the quality of something newly created, like a miracle, and it produces an almost religious enthusiasm."
"All arts are capable of duende, but where it finds greatest range, naturally, is in music, dance, and spoken poetry…"

Alexia - My Tango (from Re-Be 2010)

Well…I certainly was not expecting such an amazing album from Alexia. Not because she’s not capable of delivering one (she just did actually) but because I was not prepared for this. It’s too much for me to handle. And I’m not talking about the album’s length (3 discs, 50 songs, 200-page booklet with bi-lingual lyrics), I’m talking about DUENDE. It’s personal and universal, it’s passionate, emotional and yet down to earth, it’s educating and entertaining, it’s pop and jazz and blues and spoken poetry, it’s inspired and natural.

Alexia - Electricity/Family (Re-Be 2010)


and here's the above song with different orchestration and lyrics (practically a new song and equally beautiful):
Alexia - Time/Love me (Re-Be 2010)


It took her 10 years to prepare. She wrote all the music, lyrics and performed. Every single detail is great, from the package to the web site: www.rebe.com

It’s Re-Be and it’s amazing!

Alexia - The Street I Live (live on Greek TV)

More info about Alexia here