I have always been a big fan of Greek music, be it traditional singing, Orthodox singing and even more modern types of Greek music of the Rebetiko style including, for example, Giorgos Dalaras. Here is an example of Dalaras singing the famous Cuban son “Hasta Siempre Comandante” with Al Di Meola on guitars(!):
Today a family member sent me a video of a singer I did not know, Yiannis Kotsiras, and I want to share it with you. Enjoy!
Andrei
WikiLeaks – US imperialists were seeking Russian assistance to manage chaos in Afghanistan!
https://t.co/aSWHAuJTzP?amp=1
Thanks for that great music. Always interesting to listen to musicians you never heard of before.
Don’t know if you are familiar with Demitra Galani, a wonderful singer from Greece. Here she is together with the Barefoot diva of Cape Verde, Cecaria Evora, lifting us to a higher place with their magic voices. This is from a performance in Athens in 2009, I believe;
Um Pincelada;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOVRdAVpMFw
Yes, the song, “Comandante Che Guevara”, is the most appropriate one for today’s spirit of resistance to the same people who murdered Che in Oct. 1967, and are now pushing “vaxx”. In particular, the version played by Maria Farantouri, a Greek singer quite popular in the 1960-1970’s, is my favorite:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=maria+farantouri+comandante+che+guevara
Wikipedia writes about her: “Her voice is contralto with two octaves. The international press called her a people’s Callas (The Daily Telegraph), and the Joan Baez of the Mediterranean (Le Monde)” , but I do think that Joan Baez is Maria Farantouri of USA.
She sings fluently in 5+ languages, and in terms of breadth of revolutionary, social, cultural
and other topics covered by her songs she has few, and I mean very few, equals .
Best regards, Spiral
By this occasion a moving spring-song with a 20th century-background that goes to heart:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpMZHl1vTHQ
the story of it:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ederlezi_(song)
Actually the greatest modern Greek composer and author was Mikis Theodorakis. He passed away two days ago at 96. Mikis as a true orthodox brother stood with whole brotherly orthodox Greek nation with us when it mattered the most. We always wonder where the other orthodox peoples have been and what they were doing, thinking and feeling at the time. A friend in need is a friend indeed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwf2p2NJtUw
Since you mentioned Greek music, a farewell to Mikis Theodorakis, the creator of Zorba the Greek. Great composer who passed away this week.
Thanks. Will share with a Greek descendant son-in-law
Good music is hard to find. Please keep sharing.
Here is one from an Iranian singer with English subs.
https://youtu.be/cDNDVtoJhik
if we are talking theodorakis and farantouri then there is no way around the great “canto general” by neruda (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Sx941igIbY). one of the hymns of the resistance.
besides maria farantouri i also quite like melina kana (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ud_IlJrBtVo) and eleftheria arvanitaki (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Na59KK9j_Y). might want to check them out.
Rebetiko is not exactly “modern”; it first became very popular I think in 1920s-1930s after the “Microasiatic Catashrope”. Still, it is great music. By the way there’s a very good Greek movie called “Rebetiko” about those times and that music – highly recommend it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZXSjtZ0P1I
Here is a link to one of the best modern Greek songs in my view, by Thanasis Papakonstantinou: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0Kz9R2kB2M
And it’s interesting that your posting about Greek music coincided with the passing of the great Theodorakis… a great musician, but also a great anti-fascist…
Thanks for the links, I enjoyed the music immensely, although i did not understand a word.
But great music do not need words :)
How about Dalaras, is he not a fantastically talented singer?
I love his concert record “Ta Tragoudia Mou” – do you know it?
cheers
Dalaras is classics. I think it was him who helped resurrect the popularity of rebetiko in 1970s… I did not know this concert but now listening to it (this one? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK4IzNZDf9Q) – absolute classics, love all of it!
I like Greek music but there’s so much good music that I certainly have only heard a little part of it. Among my favourite current singers are Haris Alexiou and Alkistis Protopsalti. In the past, there are many great names incl. Vasilis Tzitzanis, Manos Hadzidakis, Grigoris Bithikotsis, Manolis Hiotis and of course Theodorakis…
Have a wonderful day.
https://biggeekdad.com/2018/09/sound-of-silence-flashmob/
I guess Di Meola doesn’t believe in getting old, or something ..
nope, in fact, the latest Al Di Meola records might well be his best.
I don’t like him very much as a composer
but as in improviser and arranger, he is awesome :-)
And also thanks to you Saker great and everlasting music, although i did not understand much.
forget the lyrics, just let the music take you over inside you :-)
Yannis Kotsiras is an excellent musician/singer. I’m sending you a link of a video with Yannis and famous Greek composer, Mikis Theodorakis. Enjoy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZayTT8dlZHg