The Magic of the Greek Bouzouki
- GoogaMooga
- custodian of oldies
- Posts: 30324
- Joined: 28 Sep 2010, 05:23
- Location: Denmark
The Magic of the Greek Bouzouki
How do we feel about the Greek Bouzouki music? We all know "Zorba". And Mikis Theodorakis looms large, even today. I've got a whole bunch by him (too much overlap). The Danish tourists return from their holidays in the Aegean with those CD's, and somehow they end up in thrift for 50 pence. Now I am playing another composer, Michalis Terzis, all very deft and nimble finger-pickin', but a whole CD's worth, I am not so sure. Bouzouki is alright if you are eating at a Greek restaurant, but in the comfort of your own home? It all gets a bit tiresome.
"When the desert comes, people will be sad; just as Cannery Row was sad when all the pilchards were caught and canned and eaten." - John Steinbeck
- Jimbly
- Posts: 21957
- Joined: 21 Jul 2003, 23:17
- Location: ????
Re: The Magic of the Greek Bouzouki
The Bouzouki was absorbed into Irish folk music in the 60/70's. Donal Lunny was the most prominent player through Planxty, The Bothy Band, Moving Hearts and as a hired hand for Kate Bush, M and many more.
So Long Kid, Take A Bow.
- fange
- 100% fangetastic
- Posts: 14171
- Joined: 20 Jan 2010, 11:30
- Location: 香港
Re: The Magic of the Greek Bouzouki
I'm guessing you don't speak Greek, Googs - apologies if you do - which can give you a different appreciation of a lot of Greek music rather than just it's instrumental side.
There are many styles of Greek music, and a mix of those styles can help people avoid that overload of "traditional bouzouki" music, the kind that just sounds like endless rip-offs of 'Zorba'. That can get tiring for people who grew up with it, let alone non-Greeks dunking their toes in those waters.
There are many styles of Greek music, and a mix of those styles can help people avoid that overload of "traditional bouzouki" music, the kind that just sounds like endless rip-offs of 'Zorba'. That can get tiring for people who grew up with it, let alone non-Greeks dunking their toes in those waters.
Jonny Spencer wrote:fange wrote:I've got my quad pants on and i'm ready for some Cock.
By CHRIST you're a man after my own sideways sausage, Ange!
- GoogaMooga
- custodian of oldies
- Posts: 30324
- Joined: 28 Sep 2010, 05:23
- Location: Denmark
Re: The Magic of the Greek Bouzouki
fange wrote:I'm guessing you don't speak Greek, Googs - apologies if you do - which can give you a different appreciation of a lot of Greek music rather than just it's instrumental side.
There are many styles of Greek music, and a mix of those styles can help people avoid that overload of "traditional bouzouki" music, the kind that just sounds like endless rip-offs of 'Zorba'. That can get tiring for people who grew up with it, let alone non-Greeks dunking their toes in those waters.
Apart from the bouzouki I've got Demis Roussos, Aphrodite's Child, Vangelis, and Nana Mouskouri - but that is probably not what you had in mind. Glad that you mention "overload", that's what a whole CD can feel like.
"When the desert comes, people will be sad; just as Cannery Row was sad when all the pilchards were caught and canned and eaten." - John Steinbeck
- WG Kaspar
- Posts: 9110
- Joined: 28 Jan 2007, 09:07
Re: The Magic of the Greek Bouzouki
That's definitely made for the tourist audience.
I run out of talent
- jimboo
- Posts: 7316
- Joined: 29 Dec 2005, 17:43
- Location: taking a foxy kind of stand
Re: The Magic of the Greek Bouzouki
WG Kaspar wrote:That's definitely made for the tourist audience.
I don't know, after nearly two years of living here I have to say most of it gets on my tits.
If I jerk- the handle jerk- the handle you'll thrill me and thrill me
- WG Kaspar
- Posts: 9110
- Joined: 28 Jan 2007, 09:07
Re: The Magic of the Greek Bouzouki
jimboo wrote:WG Kaspar wrote:That's definitely made for the tourist audience.
I don't know, after nearly two years of living here I have to say most of it gets on my tits.
You live in Greece?
I run out of talent
- jimboo
- Posts: 7316
- Joined: 29 Dec 2005, 17:43
- Location: taking a foxy kind of stand
Re: The Magic of the Greek Bouzouki
WG Kaspar wrote:jimboo wrote:WG Kaspar wrote:That's definitely made for the tourist audience.
I don't know, after nearly two years of living here I have to say most of it gets on my tits.
You live in Greece?
Yes chap, Zakynthos.
If I jerk- the handle jerk- the handle you'll thrill me and thrill me
- Rorschach
- Posts: 4118
- Joined: 02 Jun 2008, 12:43
- Location: The north side of my town faces east, and the east faces south
Re: The Magic of the Greek Bouzouki
jimboo wrote:WG Kaspar wrote:You live in Greece?
Yes chap, Zakynthos.
Oh wow!
I went there on holiday the first year they had direct flights, a looooooong time ago. Loved it. There didn't seem to be a lot of employment opportunity outside of fishing and hospitality. What are you doing there?
Bugger off.
- Neige
- Alpine Numpty
- Posts: 18116
- Joined: 17 Jul 2003, 11:11
- Location: On 2 oz of plastic with a hole in the middle (of nowhere)
Re: The Magic of the Greek Bouzouki
I've asked Theo for some Greek music ages ago, out of nostalgia for the soundtrack of my travels by bus in Crete.
He kindly obliged and the 120+ pop-rock-folk songs he gave me are on my iPod, in a folder called "It's All Greek To Me" and while I wouldn't be able to attribute any track to a name, none of them ever gets skipped.
It's fabulous stuff and yes, there's bouzouki.
He kindly obliged and the 120+ pop-rock-folk songs he gave me are on my iPod, in a folder called "It's All Greek To Me" and while I wouldn't be able to attribute any track to a name, none of them ever gets skipped.
It's fabulous stuff and yes, there's bouzouki.
Thumpety-thump beats plinkety-plonk every time. - Rayge
- jimboo
- Posts: 7316
- Joined: 29 Dec 2005, 17:43
- Location: taking a foxy kind of stand
Re: The Magic of the Greek Bouzouki
Rorschach wrote:jimboo wrote:WG Kaspar wrote:You live in Greece?
Yes chap, Zakynthos.
Oh wow!
I went there on holiday the first year they had direct flights, a looooooong time ago. Loved it. There didn't seem to be a lot of employment opportunity outside of fishing and hospitality. What are you doing there?
My wife is remotely working for her company in the U.K. There is no realistic chance of full time work for me. Who knows? Life is funny and something might turn up.
Whatever happens my choice was to be relatively poor in the UK or poor in the sun. You only get one life ( I think)
If I jerk- the handle jerk- the handle you'll thrill me and thrill me
- WG Kaspar
- Posts: 9110
- Joined: 28 Jan 2007, 09:07
Re: The Magic of the Greek Bouzouki
It's a good choice and Zakinthos is a great place.
I run out of talent
- Quaco
- F R double E
- Posts: 47382
- Joined: 16 Jul 2003, 19:41
Re: The Magic of the Greek Bouzouki
jimboo, you're living my dream. Getting me thinking.
I have some Greek rock stuff, though not enough.
I have probably too much bouzouki stuff — the father of a friend passed on and about 50 of his Greek albums needed a home, so I took most of them. I like them, but a little goes a long way.
I have some Greek rock stuff, though not enough.
I have probably too much bouzouki stuff — the father of a friend passed on and about 50 of his Greek albums needed a home, so I took most of them. I like them, but a little goes a long way.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- fange
- 100% fangetastic
- Posts: 14171
- Joined: 20 Jan 2010, 11:30
- Location: 香港
Re: The Magic of the Greek Bouzouki
Yes, a little goes a long way indeed.
Jonny Spencer wrote:fange wrote:I've got my quad pants on and i'm ready for some Cock.
By CHRIST you're a man after my own sideways sausage, Ange!
- fange
- 100% fangetastic
- Posts: 14171
- Joined: 20 Jan 2010, 11:30
- Location: 香港
Re: The Magic of the Greek Bouzouki
Hey quaco and hatzy, as musicians and music lovers i'm interested to hear your thoughts on a piece like this one.
Markos Vamvakaris was one of the most influencial early bouzouki players of the last century. This is a tune from the mid 1930s i believe, called 'Taxim Zebekiko' (Zebekiko is a musical style from the Greek/Turkish region)...
Does this kind of song speak to you at all? (This is a question for everyone too, of course.)
Markos Vamvakaris was one of the most influencial early bouzouki players of the last century. This is a tune from the mid 1930s i believe, called 'Taxim Zebekiko' (Zebekiko is a musical style from the Greek/Turkish region)...
Does this kind of song speak to you at all? (This is a question for everyone too, of course.)
Jonny Spencer wrote:fange wrote:I've got my quad pants on and i'm ready for some Cock.
By CHRIST you're a man after my own sideways sausage, Ange!
- WG Kaspar
- Posts: 9110
- Joined: 28 Jan 2007, 09:07
- C
- Robust
- Posts: 78998
- Joined: 22 Jul 2003, 19:06
Re: The Magic of the Greek Bouzouki
Rorschach wrote:jimboo wrote:WG Kaspar wrote:You live in Greece?
Yes chap, Zakynthos.
Oh wow!
I went there on holiday the first year they had direct flights, a looooooong time ago. Loved it.
I was just about to type exactly that!!!
1981....?
.
Lord Rother wrote:And there was me thinking you'd say "Fair enough, you have a point Bob".
- Quaco
- F R double E
- Posts: 47382
- Joined: 16 Jul 2003, 19:41
Re: The Magic of the Greek Bouzouki
fange wrote:Hey quaco and hatzy, as musicians and music lovers i'm interested to hear your thoughts on a piece like this one.
Markos Vamvakaris was one of the most influencial early bouzouki players of the last century. This is a tune from the mid 1930s i believe, called 'Taxim Zebekiko' (Zebekiko is a musical style from the Greek/Turkish region)...
Does this kind of song speak to you at all? (This is a question for everyone too, of course.)
I like it a lot! I do tend to respond well to the older stuff, I've noticed. I just realized I have a M. Vamvakaris CD that I used to listen to. I should get it out again. He was a drug addict, wasn't he?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- GoogaMooga
- custodian of oldies
- Posts: 30324
- Joined: 28 Sep 2010, 05:23
- Location: Denmark
Re: The Magic of the Greek Bouzouki
Quaco wrote: I just realized I have a M. Vamvakaris CD that I used to listen to. I should get it out again. He was a drug addict, wasn't he?
"When the desert comes, people will be sad; just as Cannery Row was sad when all the pilchards were caught and canned and eaten." - John Steinbeck
- fange
- 100% fangetastic
- Posts: 14171
- Joined: 20 Jan 2010, 11:30
- Location: 香港
Re: The Magic of the Greek Bouzouki
WG Kaspar wrote:He's just tuning his bouzouki it seems
Jonny Spencer wrote:fange wrote:I've got my quad pants on and i'm ready for some Cock.
By CHRIST you're a man after my own sideways sausage, Ange!