REMEMBRANCES OF A MUSIC SCENE: THE SMYRNEIKO ERA
RECORDINGS FROM SMYRNA, ISTANBUL, ATHENS AND NEW YORK
1907-1939
• 3 CD case based on rare recordings from Smyrna, Istanbul, Athens and New York
• 60 p. Greek – English booklet, with complete lyrics, extensive texts on the musical styles and detailed info on the musicians’ lifes and the songs’ musicology
• 14 retro ready-to-use postcards
• remastered with analog equipment and professional software, in order to obtain state-of-the-art sound quality, without losing the color of the original recordings
The collection presents the Smyrneiko saga through recordings from Smyrna and Istanbul (CD I: 1907-19), Athens (CDII: 1928-37) and New York (CD III: 1919-50).
• CD I: Smyrneiko is the Greek song from Asia Minor, which flourished in the early 1900’s. In itself a unique mix of Eastern and European music, Smyrneiko mainly includes violin, oud, sandouri and saz bands. The singers’ elaborate style is based on arab-persian scales (macam). They often perform the amanes, a slow and mournful song, based on extremely elaborate vocal improvisations.
• CD II: When Asia Minor Greeks emigrated to Greece, Smyrneiko evolved into the Rembetiko style, which is nothing less than the core of Greek popular music, that being a group with bouzouki, baglamas, guitar and one or more singers. Moving lyrics picture the life of a marginal social group.
• CD III: Several musicians emigrated to the US (mainly New York), where they played in night clubs and released albums in major record companies (Columbia, Victor, a.o.). Living among their compatriots, they preserved the Asia Minor tradition and enriched it by borrowing elements from popular styles of the time, thus creating a sound essentially different from Smyrna’s, Istanbul’s and Athens’ recordings.
(disc review in the newspaper Eleftherotypia)
Nearly twenty years of research among vinyl records were necessary for the producers of the collection “Remembrances of a Music Scene: The Smyrneiko Era”, which just came out under Pop Eleven Productions, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture. The collection includes three CD’s with 17, 20 and 21 tracks respectively. The recordings included in the first CD date between 1907 and 1919, in the second one between 1930 and 1936 and in the third one between 1919 and 1939, except for three traditional songs recorded afterwards. The 64-pages booklet includes elaborate texts, lyrics for all the songs, musicological data and biographies of the artists, all translated in English, along with a series of postcards.
Collecting the extremely old 78rpm records and postcards of the first decade of the Smyrneiko style, and managing to listen to the singers recorded on wax masters between 1907 and 1913 in Smyrna and Istanbul, was a strenuous effort. When talking about ‘listening to the singers’, one refers to the voices’ deeper qualities, their volume, their crescendos, their ornaments. Whatever it takes to mediate the skills of singers such as Menemenlis, Yiovanikas, Tsanakas and Psamatianos.
The “song from Smyrna and Istanbul, song of the sullen orient”, reached its meridian in the numerous “Café Aman” of Athens in the early 1930’s with artists such as Papazoglou, Toundas, Skarvelis, Semsis and Tomboulis, Leondaridis and Nouros, Atraidis and Dalgas, the lady singers Eskenazy and Abatzi. It was nothing less than a revolutionary culture, forcing the “dark” leaders of the time to censor it.
Among those who performed for Greek audiences in clubs in the USA, one cannot decide whom to praise first: the singing skills of Marika Papaghika, the eternal troubadour Katsaros, as passionate as to perform for two-and-a-half hours in 1996, being 97-years-old, Lady Koula, whose voice is heard clearly for the first time, Doussias, Tetos Demetriadis, who was a producer for Columbia, Pyrris, Roumbanis, the composer of the famous “Misirlou”, a version of which is included in Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction or the younger lady singer Virginia Mangidou…
TITLE: REMEMBRANCES OF A MUSIC SCENE, THE SMYRNEIKO ERA 1907-1939
CD1: SMYRNA & ISTANBUL BEFORE THE 1922 ASIA MINOR CATASTROPHE
CD no: 0426
CATEGORY: REMBETIKA AND SMYRNEIKA, GREEK MUSIC IN THE STATES
TRACK LIST – MUSICIANS
1. SOUSTA (Sousta Dance) 2:50, Istanbul 1930
(solo harmonika : Yiangos Psamatianos, kübüs, percussion)
2. HEDZAZ MANES (Manes Song in the Hedjaz mode) 3:06, Smyrna 1907
(man singer: Yiorgos Tsanakas, violin, tsebalo)
3. MANAMEN ZEIBEK (Zeimbekikos Dance from the Menemen area) 3:06, 1910-11
(man singer: Eleftherrios Menemenlis, violins, oud, mandolin by the Smyrna Estudiantina)
4. TSIFTETELLI (Tsifteteli Dance) 2:45, Smyrna, around 1909
(double stringed violin, pondiaki lyra, tsembalo, possibly by the Smyrna Estudiantina)
5. RAST GAZEL (Gazel/Amanes Song in the Rast Mode)2:50, 1913
(man singer: Yiorgos Tsanakas, harmonika, guitar)
6. VOURNOVALIA (Girl from the Bournovalio Area) 2:46, Smyrna 1909
(violin, tsembalo, choir by the Greek Estudiantina)
7. MELACHRINO (Brunette) 3:00, possibly Smyrna, around 1910
(man singer: Yiorgos Tsanakas, violin, mandolins, tsembalo, choir by the Greek Estudiantina)
8. DZIVAERI (Jewel) 3:55, around 1910
(man singer: Yiorgos Tsanakas, violin: Yiangos Alexiou a.k.a. Yiovanikas, The Smyrna Estudiantina)
9. ANDRIANNA (The Girl named Andrianna) 2:55, Istanbul 1910
(mandolins, tsembalo, recorder by the Greek Estudiantina)
10. ELENAKI (The Girl named Elenaki) 2:50, Smyrna 1910
(man singers: Eleftherios Menemenlis and, possibly Yiorgos Tsanakas, mandolin, tsembalo, violin)
11. TO YIASOUMI (Jasmine) 2:50, Istanbul 1910
(man singer and harmonica: Yiangos Psamatianos, kübüs)
12. AH MELACHRINO (Oh Brunette) 2:48, Smyrna 1911
(man singer: Eleftherios Menemenlis, violin, tsembalo)
13. TAMBAHANIOTIKOS MANES (Manes Song from the Tambahani Area) 3:28, 1911
(man singer: Yiorgos Tsanakas, violin, tsembalo, cello)
14. ADAM AMAN 3:00
(man singer: Yiorgos Tsanakas, violin: Yiangos Alexiou a.k.a. Yiovanikas, tsembalo)
15. THALASSA (Sea) 3:08, Istanbul 1911
(man singer: Eleftherios Menemenlis, violin, guitar, mandolin)
16. TSOPANAKOS IMOUNA (I Was A Young Shepherd) 2:53, 1910
(recorder, mandolins, animal growls, percussion)
17. EMVATIRIO SMYRNIS (March From Smyrna) 2:57, Smyrna around 1919
(march band)
CD 2: ATHENS IN THE 1930’s
CD no: 0427
CATEGORIES: REMBETIKA AND SMYRNEIKA, GREEK MUSIC IN THE US
TRACKS – MUSICIANS
1. BEIKOS (Beikos Dance) 3:35, Athens 1935
(band: Ta Politakia, mandolin: Spyros Peristeris)
2. TO VENIZELO HASAME (Venizelos Is Gone) 3:12, Athens 1936
(man singer: Stellakis Perpiniadis, guitar: Kostas Karypis)
3. MANES KARIP HEDZAZ (Manes Song in the Karip Hedjaz Mode) 3:18, Athens 1935-36
(woman singer: Rita Ambatzi, violin: Dimitris Semsis a.k.a. Salonikios, oud: Agapios Tomboulis)
4. YIAMO 3:17, Athens 1934
(woman singer & zilia: Roza Eskenazy, kemenzes: Lambros Liondaridis, oud: Agapios Tomboulis)
5. DERVISSIKOS HOROS (Dervish Dance), 1930
(oud & man singer: Agapios Tomboulis, kemenzes: Lambros Liondaridis)
6. KATIFES 3:20, 1931-32
(woman singer & zilia: Roza Eskenazy, kemenze: Lambros Liondaridis, oud: Agapios Tomboulis)
7. FERENZE (Muslim Woman’s Veil) 3:21, Athens 1933
(woman singer: Rita Ambatzi, violin: Dimitris Semsis a.k.a. Salonikios, oud: Agapios Tomboulis, guitar)
8. I BABESSA (Dishonest Girl) 3:16, Athens 1933
(woman singer & zilia: Roza Eskenazy, violin: Dimitris Semsis a.k.a. Salonikios, oud: Agapios Tomboulis, guitar)
9. XANTHI EVREOPOULA (Blonde Jewish Girl) 3:11, Athens 1934
(woman singer: Rita Ambatzi, violin: Dimitris Semsis a.k.a. Salonikios, oud: Agapios Tomboulis, guitar)
10. GALATA MANES (Manes Song from the Galatas area) 2:56, 1930
(man singer: Konstandinos Nouros, violin, guitar, sandouri)
11. BOURNOVALIO (Bournovalio area) 4:07, Athens 1937
(violin: Ogdondakis, sandouri: Dimitris Kallinikos a.k.a. Arapakis)
12. I GARSONA (The Waitress) 3:20, Athens 1936
(woman singer: Roza Eskenazy, violin: Dimitris Semsis a.k.a. Salonikios, kübüs: Agapios Tomboulis, guitar, mandolin)
13. O VORONOF (The Doctor Named Voronof) 3:10, Athens 1934
(woman singer & zilia: Roza Eskenazy, violin: Dimitris Semsis a.k.a. Salonikios, Kanonaki: Lambros Savaidis, oud: Agapios Tomboulis)
14. ZOULA I MARYIORI (They Stole Our Hash) 3:25, Athens 1934
(man singer: Stellakis Perpiniadis)
15. ZEIMBEKIKO POLITIKO (Zeimbekikos Dance from Istanbul) 3:11, Athens 1928
(man singer: Andonis Dalgas, accorduion: A. Amiralis a.k.a. Papatzis, guitar, sandouri)
16. DERVISSIS KAI RITA (Rita and the Dervish) 3:10, Athens 1934
(man & woman singers: Dimitris Atraidis & Rita Ambatzi, guitar: probably Kostas Karypis, oud)
17. NEO MANAVAKI (Young Greengrocer) 3:08, Athens 1933
(woman singer: Roza Eskenazy, violin guitar, oud)
18. SOUSTA POLITIKI (Sousta Dance from Istanbul) 3:16, Athens 1933
(man singer: Andonis Dalgas, accordion A. Amiralis a.k.a. Papatzis, guitar, sandouri)
19. TSIFTETELI (Tsifteteli Dance) 3:10, Athens 1935
(oriental band : violin: Dimitris Semsis a.k.a. Salonikios, oud: Agapios Tomboulis, kemenzes: L. Savaidis, zilia: Roza Eskenazy)
20. TO KANARINI (The Canary) 3:11, Athens 1934
(woman singer & zilia: Roza Eskenazy, violin: Dimitris Semsis a.k.a. Salonikios, kanonaki: Lambros Savaidis, oud: Agapios Tomboulis)
CD III: SMYRNEIKO IN NEW YORK
CD no: 0428
CATEGORIES: GREEK MUSIC IN THE US, REMBETIKA & SMYRNEIKA
TRACKS – MUSICIANS
1. ELLI (The Girl named Elli) 2:44, New York 1939
(clarinet : Gus Gadinis)
2. FERAHNAK MANES (Manes Song in the Ferahnak Mode) 4:15, NY 1926
(man singer: Achilles Poulos, kanonaki)
3. TI SE MELI ESENANE (What Do You Care) 3:49, NY 1926
(woman singer, castanets: Marika Papagika, sandouri: Kostas Papagikas, cello: Mihalis Sifnios, violin: Athanassios Makedonas)
4. TA PAIDIA TIS GEITONIAS SOU (Children In Your Neighborhood) 3:58, NY 1926
(woman singer, castanets: Marika Papagika, sandouri: Kostas Papagikas, cello: Mihalis Sifnios, violin:Alexis Zoumbas)
5. TOURNENE 4:31, NY 1928
(man singer: Takis Nikolaou, a.k.a. Tetos Dimitriadis)
6. OI BAGLAMADES (The Baglamades) 3:25, NY 1919
(woman singer: Kyria Koula)
7. YIAF YIOUF 3:20, NY 1926
(man singer: Tetos Dimitriadis)
8. GEL GEL 4:01, NY 1927
(woman singer, castanets: Marika Papagika, sandouri: Kostas Papagikas, cello: Mihalis Sifnios, violin: Evagelos Andrias, a.k.a. Naftis – the sailor)
9. BRAILA (The Braila Area) 4:02, NY 1928
(same as track 8)
10. OUSHAK ZEIMBEKIKO (Zeimbekiko Dance in the Oushak mode) 4:02, NY 1927
(man singer: Leonidas Smyrnaios, violin, oud, sandouri)
11. ERGATIS TIMIMENOS (Worthy Worker) 3:52, NY 1935
(man singer, guitar : Kostas – Gus Doussias)
12. VASILISSA (Queen) 4:16, 1931
(same as track 12)
13. YIANNAROS (Big Yiannis/John) 3:55, NY 1931
(man singer: H. Pyrris)
14. MISIRLOU (Girl from Misiri/Egypt) 4:16, NY 1931
(man singer: Michalis Patrinos)
15. ESKOUTARI (The Skoutari Area) 3:05, NY 1950-55
(woman singer: Virginia Maggidou, a.k.a. Smyrnia, violin: A. Loris)
16. GIATI DE MAS TO LES (Why Won’t You Say So?) 4:44, NY 1938
(guitar, man singer: Yiorgos Katsaros)
17. POU PAS MEMETI MOU (Where Are You Going Memetis?) 2:55, NY 1945-50
(same as track 16)
18. EGO GIA SENA XENYHTO (I Stay Awake At Noght For You) 3:04, NY 1938
(same as tracks 16, 17)
19. ISTANBUL 2:50, NY 1939
(clarinet: Kostas – Gus Gadinis)
20. I DOUDOU (The Girl called Doudou)3:02, NY 1950-55
(man singer, cretan lyra: Charilaos o Kritikos – Charilaos from Crete)
21. AMAN YIAMA YALELELI 2:36, NY 1950-55
(woman singer: Roza Eskenazy, violin: Dimitris Manisalis)
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