V.A. - Rembetika - Greek Music From The Underground - 1925-1947

VA - Rembetika (Greek Music from the Underground) 4 CD-Boxset - MP3 320 kbps - Full scans included Greek/english documentary on the phenomenon 'Rembetiko' here: http://suprbay.org/showthread.php?p=381304#post379018 Great Britain’s JSP label took a chance in 2006 by issuing a four-disc overview of rembetika (the “officially designated” Greek underground and criminal communities) called Rembetika: Greek Music from the Underground. It was official because at one point in the 20th century, the music was actually officially banned by the Metaxas government (in 1937) and didn’t peep… More above ground for another 11 years. (Gangster rappers and metalheads take heart: you were not the first nor will you be the last.) That set, like this one, appropriately titledRembetika 1: Greek Music from the Underground, included four CDs, all of which were annotated with fine notes, and production masters cleaned up as much as possible — no easy feat since a lot of this music was originally released on either 78s or cylinders — but some survived, amazingly, on recording tape Disc 1, The Ottoman Legacy, 1925-1937. Greek singers from the Ottoman Empire were forced to leave Turkey after the Greek - Turkish war in 1922. They set the Rembetica ball rolling in the Greek recording studios. Disc 2, Piraeus Heavy Hitters 1934-1946. The title is self - explanatory Disc 3, Dope,Dice,Guitars, Knives ‘n’ Such 1928-1946. Songs with heavy underworld content in lyrics Disc 4, After Censorship, 1937-1947. Censorship was introduced in 1937. Despite this, a lot of Good Stuff managed to get onto record. The origins of the music we now know as Rembetica lie in the obscurity of the mid-nineteenth century, or even earlier. It can be roughly divided into two schools: The first was that created by the Greek population of Ottoman cities such as Constantinople (Istanbul) and Smyrna (Izmir). In the main, this was played in public places of entertainment by highly skilled professional musicians, using, chiefly, Violin, lyra, Sandouri, guitar and mandolin. However, the fact that there also existed a rougher, more underground, form is evidenced by the “brothel” recordings made by Yiangos Psamathianos in Constantinople in around 1912 (see Arhoolie CD 7005). Meanwhile, chiefly in the underworld of homeland Greece, there developed another form of Rembetica, played in enclosed places such as “Tekedhes” (hash-dens) and prisons. This was more a music of non-professional musicians performing on guitar, baglamas and bouzouki. Recording began as early as 1905, in Constantinople and until 1914 engineers from England and Germany made many visits to the Near East to record Greek and other local musicians. After the tumultuous events of the first World War, and the Greek - Turkish war which followed it, recording of Greek music by the large international companies switched mainly to Athens. Between ca.1925 and 1937 a wealth of material was recorded, much of it of a semi-underground nature - a phenomen that appears to be unique in world music. However,in 1936 a Fascist government under Ioannis Metaxas took power and quickly introduced censorship. This censorship took a while to be fully implemented, but from 1937 on hard-core Rembetica was forced underground; although it made a brief post-war re-appearance on record in June, 1946, before censorship was reimposed. Review All Music Guide Thanks to the crazy music fans at JSP in England comes this packed four-disc overview of rembetika, the true music of Greece’s underworld. Rembetika has an interesting history. Its origins are not exactly known, and are traced back in various labyrinthine ways to the mid-19th century. In 1911, the word “rembetico” appeared on a record label, and the word was defined as being of “mildly erotic,” bohemian content; it was used to describe such records through the mid-’20s. Beginning around 1925, the music’s name changed and became associated most specifically with the underworld — primarily because of music played in brothels, hash dens, prisons, and other generally criminal surroundings. It was raw, immediate, sometimes harsh and bawdy, other times noir-ish and seductive in a sinister way. The music listeners now consider true rembetika came into view after the Greco-Turkish war. It flourished between 1925 and 1937 when it was officially censored as immoral by the Metaxas government. The music lived, however, and went deeply underground; it surfaced again briefly around 1946 before it was once again censored. The instrument rembetika brought to Greece’s popular consciousness was the bouzouki, though violins, ouds, hand percussion, and singing were all part of the rembetika experience. The four discs here are organized around various themes. The first concentrates on the music made in the golden years as the material developed into a bona fide recordable style as it came out from under the hard thump of the Ottoman Empire. Singers such as Marika Papagika, Achilleas Poulos, Rita Abadzi, Stellákis Perpiniádhis, and Kostas Karipis are all featured on this slab. Disc two begins in 1932 under censorship; it goes deeply underground and reflects the seamy side of life in the underworld. Here is the place where the bouzouki and baglamas come into prominence (bouzouki has been the featured instrument in Greek music since that time). Here the more popular song is introduced. Most of the performers here are male, and they make an impression with their swirling darkness and tales of lost love, drunkenness, power, violence, and grief. From the start, the bouzouki reigns supreme as Márkos Vamvakáris sings “I Klostirou (The Mill Girl).” Long intricate instrumental patterns dig into the lyric and assert themselves at the tune’s nadir. Yiorgos Batis’ “I Fylakes Tou Oropou (Oropos Jail)” is another punch in the gut as he sings with rage about his pain and isolation. Vamvakáris and Batis are featured on this disc many times, but one never tires of the music they make. Stellios Keromytis is also here, and his “I Moni Mou Parigoria (My Only Consolation)” is one of the this CD’s highlights. Disc three, entitled Dope, Dice, Guitars, Knives and Such, documents the scene thematically with songs of the underworld along those lines from 1928 to 1946. And some familiar names are here such as Jack Halikias, whose “Raste Tou Deke” was the first true — albeit underground — rembetika hit and featured the bouzouki, making many other musicians turn their heads. Also included are fine decadent tunes by George Katsaros, Róza Eskenázi, and Gus Dussas. The final volume in the set showcases the brief popularity — above ground — of rembetika. The big names in the scene are here, like Perpiniádhis, Stratos Payoumtzis, Yiannis Papaiouannou, and Apóstolos Hadzichrístos. But this disc is also the place where rembetika virtually disappears and goes back so far underground that it almost — almost — ceases to exist. The rawness is here; the sexual allure and tales of the forbidden have gone back into the shadows where they have begun to emerge once more in archival recordings such as these. JSP’s documentation of this music is superb. The remastering job from tapes and 78s is exacting, which makes for a warm sound even on the earliest sides. The notes are historical, with a different set for each volume, and the histories of performers, origins of terms and words, and even a pronunciation guide are provided. Like the great blues collections they issue, Rembetika: Greek Music from the Underworld is a treasure trove of the lost, the forgotten, and the dangerous. As stellar and soulful a documentary collection as you’ll fine anywhere. ~Thom Jurek, All Music Guide Track Listing Disc 1 Mandalena - Marika Papagika Chakiji Zeibek - Achilleas Poulos Tsifte Telli - El. Melemenlis Huseini Manes - A. Dhiamadidhis Dalgas Ballos Smyrneikos Me Mane - E. Sophroniou Vaggelakis Aidhinikos Xoros - Marika Papagika Zeimbekiko Melemenio - And. Dalgas Piran Ta Frygana Fotia - Leopold Gad Minore Manes, Safino Tin Kali Nychtia - Kostas Karipis Sousta Politiki - And. Dalgas Bournovalio - Popular Orchestra Melachrinoula - Marika Politissa Rast Zergile - Marika Politissa Markopouliotissa - Rita Abadzi Dzerkeza - Roza Eskenazi Gazeli Sabach, Sti Mavri Yi Chrosto Kormi - Roza Eskenazi San Eyriz Ap Tin Pylo - Efstratios Payioumidzis Mes To Vathi Skotadhi - Roza Eskenazi O Prezakis - And. Kalyvopoulos Yiovan Tsaous - And. Kalyvopoulos Paraponiounde I Manges Mas - And. Kalyvopoulos Ego Thelo Prigipessa - Stellakis Perpiniadhis Disc 2 I Klostirou - Markos Vamvakaris Zeimbekano Spaniolo - Stratos Payioumidzis Thermastis - Yiorgos Batiso San Ise Mangas Ke Dais - M. Vamvakaris & Rita Abadzi Kapote Imouna Kiego - Markos Vamvakaris O Synachis - Markos Vamvakaris Varka Mou Boyiatismeni - Yiorgos Batis I Fylakes Tou Oropou - Yiorgos Batis Prepi Na Xeris Michani - Markos Vamvakaris Panta Me Glyko Hasisi - D. Gongos Bayianderas Htan Anixi - D. Gongos Bayianderas Manges Piaste Ta Vouna - Ef. Payioumidzis Pende Manges - And. Kalyvopoulos Soura Ke Mastoura - Anestis Dhelias Taxim Athineiko Ke Zeimbekiko - Yiorgos Batis Mes tou Vavoula Ti Gouva - Stellios Keromytis Ouzak-To Tragoudhi Tis Xentias - Efstratios Payioumidzis I Moni Mou Parigoria - Stellios Keromytis Ego Mangas Fenomouna - Michailis Yenitsaris Taxim-Zeimbekiko - Markos Vamvakaris Olli I Rembetes Tou Dounia - Markos Vamvakaris I Baglamadhes - Stratos & St.Keromytis Ithela Na Moun Iraklis - Nikos Vrachnas Disc 3 Stis Syras To Aniforo - George Katsaros Tout I Batsoi Pou rthan Tora - Yiannis Ioannidhis & Manolis arapiperis Troumba - K.Kostis O Skylomangas - Petros Kyriakos Me Pianoune Zaladhes - A.Kostis To Minore Tou Deke - Jack Grigoriou & S.Michelidhis O Paraponiaris - Gus Dussas I Efmorfi Attaleia - Gus Dussas Echo Meraki Echo Dalga - Andonios Dalgas To Yellekaki - D. Phillipopoulos & D. Efstratiou Raste Tou Deke - John (Jack) Halikias O Vlamis Tou Psyri - Rita Abadzi Mas Kynigoun Ton Argile - Roza Eskenazi Strive Logia - Yiorgos Karras To Flidzani Tou Yianni - Rita Abadzi Pane Yia To Prasso - Rita Abadzi Ime Prezakias - Roza Eskenazi Dhervisis Ke Anna - Stellakis Perpiniadhis - Anna Pagana To Proi Me Tin Dhrossoula - Stratos & V.Tsitsanis Hadzimilousiko - Mike Patrinos & Yiannis Deyaitas Trikouverto - Jack Halikias Disc 4 I Margarita - Rita Abadzi Ola Ta Cho Varethi - Stellakis & P.Chrysinis Mikroula Pireotissa - Stellakis & Stratos I Magdhalo - Stelllakis Thelo Na Se Andamoso, Xaveriotissa - Stratos & Stellakis I Mikri Ap’to Passalimani - Stellakis Vaggelitsa - Ef. Payioumidzis & St. Perpiniadhis Se Fino Akroyiali - Stratos & Stellakis Tatavliano - Vassilis Tsitsanis -Bouzouki Dhen Thartho Peia Stin Kokkinia - Yiorgos Kavouras Pali Mou Kanoun Proxenia - Yiannis Papaioannou Paliopedho - A.Hadzichristos O Tsiggounis O Babas Sou - Yiorgos Kavouras Vadhizo Me Parapono - Yiannis Papaioannou Tha Se Klepso Tha Se Paro - A. Hadzichristos & M. Vamvakaris I Meraklidhes - Payioumidzis & Tsitsanis To Portofoli - M.Vamvakaris & A.Hadzichristos Opios Orfanepse Mikros - Stratos Payioumidzis Manavissa Me Gaidhouraki - Markos Vamvakaris O Serianis - Stratos & Stellakis Tis Mastouras O Skopos - Stratos & St. Keromytis Varka Yialo - Stratos & V.Tsitsanis Nea Vaggelitsa - Hadzichristos

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