Search - Markos Vamvakaris :: Bouzouki Pioneer, 1932-1940

Markos Vamvakaris
Bouzouki Pioneer, 1932-1940
Genre: International Music

Track Listings (23) - Disc #1
1. Karadouzeni
2. Arap
3. While We Were Smoking There One Evening
4. The Butcher
5. You Gotta Know Your Tricks
6. The Drifter
7. The Flood
8. Those Who Have Plenty Of Money
9. Dark Eyes And Black Eyebrows
10. You've Grown Old And I No Longer Love You
11. Markos Jack Of All Trades
12. Taxim-Zeimbekiko
13. All The Rembetes [Rounders] In The World
14. Six Cool Chicks
15. At Phaliro Where You Swim
16. A Blue Eyed Girl In Athens
17. My Sweet Crazy Little Girl
18. (You've Taken Into) Your Two Hands
19. The Dress You Wear Is Cherry Red
20. If We Go Away To War
21. Morocco
22. O Koumbaros O Psara
23. Hail To Our Soldier Boys

CD Details

All Artists: Markos Vamvakaris
Title: Bouzouki Pioneer, 1932-1940
Members Wishing: 3
Total Copies: 0
Label: Rounder
Original Release Date: 1/1/1932
Re-Release Date: 7/10/2009
Genre: International Music
Styles: Europe, Continental Europe, Middle East
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 011661113923

Synopsis

Album Description

Márkos, the "Patriarch" of the bouzoúki, was born dirt poor on the island of Syros and came up in the slums of Piraeus. ". . . there I was initiated into the harsh life of a working man, married for the first time, got hooked on hashish, and, above all, was seduced by that instrument -- the bouzoúki." "The man was an inexhaustible river. If he'd lived a thousand years, he'd have gone on writing beautiful Rembetica." --Spyros Garízas

CD Reviews

What a trip!!!!

Mr. J. Rigas | London United Kingdom | 03/24/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album includes some of Vamvakaris' best work. The songs are a fine example of when Greek music and lyrics had a real edge to them. After all they are Rebetika songs written and sang by the Grandfather of Rebetika music himself. All the songs have a raw earthiness to them partly because of Vamvakaris' voice, partly because of the lyrics and partly because of the unique style in which he plays the bouzouki. The lyrics talk of love, hashish smoking, betrayal and the trials of working class urban life in 1930s Greece amongst other things. These themes could almost be describing some of the themes prominent in American Blues. It's no surprise then that Rebetika are unofficially known as the Greek Blues. What is really good about this edition is the fact that it makes the lyrics accessible to non-greek speaking listeners. For each song the lyrics are written in greeklish (ie greek written with english characters) along with their written translation in English. Anyway I've rambled enough. So, whether you're a veteran Vamvakaris/Rebetiko fan or just a curious by-stander this is a really good buy."