Ηρακλής Οικονόμου

Today, we will be listening to some of Lina’s most powerful creations – songs of resilience that inspire us to mobilise our inner strength and spirit. Resilience, in the case of lyricist Lina Nikolakopoulou, is found in Melina Aslanidou’s decision to “say yes” or in Zacharias Karounis’ insistence “under the ...

This week, here at GME, is dedicated to probably the most original, inventive and indeed modern lyricist of Greek song, whose birthday we shall be celebrating on June 30. Starting with her collaboration with composer Stamatis Kraounakis, Lina Nikolakopoulou brought about a revolution in Greek song with...

Sea of Ionia, Zeibekiko of the sea, Summer dreams, The waves have bloomed, Tango Piraeus… The titles of so many instrumentals by composer Michalis Koumbios reveal his fascination with voyages and ports, seas and waves. Melodies of emotional intensity, images that invite us to travel and dream. Koumbios, a...

In his career, vocalist Costas Karalis registered important collaborations with leading composers such as Yannis Spanos and Michalis Terzis. A red thread that runs through much of his repertoire is the motif of the sea, the seamen and the ships, the winds and the waves, the passion for voyages and departures....

Our track list today comes from three main pools, all associated with the sea, with endless voyages and hidden ports. Firstly, we will be appreciating the numerous songs about the sea that Lefteris Papadopoulos wrote and Manos Loizos composed, most of which are included in the album Thalassographies....

Thanasis Nikopoulos was born in Lamia in March 1953. He began his musical studies at the Municipal Conservatory of Lamia and then studied piano, flute and advanced theory at the Municipal Conservatory of Athens. He is a graduate of the Law School of the University of Athens and a doctoral candidate...

The week that starts today, here at GME, is dedicated to the deep blue sea and to songs or instrumentals inspired by it. The first part of our week-long “thalassographies” focuses on rebetiko songs whose theme is directly linked to the sea, to its people, its professions and its images. From Babis Gol...

The entire week that ends today, here at GME, was dedicated to the beautiful island of Crete and to its exquisite musical past and present. At the heart of this unique genre lies the Cretan lyra, the island’s most emblematic musical instrument. Our track list contains special songs and instrumentals, a...

From the “rizitika” (root) songs of Manolis Lidakis and the Syrtos dances of Manolis Manouras to the beautiful coexistence of the oud of Giannis Dermitzakis with the voice of Katerina Zacharopoulou, today’s GME explores the rich past and vibrant present of Cretan music. Inventive folk poetry, plent...

Superb landscape, unique natural setting, rich history, and an outstanding musical heritage that includes plenty of uplifting rhythms and dances. Today, here at GME, we continue our week-long tribute to Crete and its music, while also telling the story of the Minotaur, Crete’s famous mythological c...

The week that starts today, here at GME, turns to the beautiful island of Crete and to its uplifting, rhythmic music that constitutes a distinct and much-admired genre. Today, we will be spending our entire broadcast exploring the history of Crete’s greatest landmark, the palace of Knossos. In parallel, w...

Our melodies, today, come from the discography of Nikos Kypourgos, one of the most prolific composers for film and theatre, and Nikos Portokaloglou, a pioneering rock singer-songwriter who also wrote soundtracks. Even though they are meant to accompany films, these melodies also stand autonomously,...

The musical images of Evanthia Reboutsika and Stamatis Spanoudakis have accompanied landmark cinematic images found in films such as Notias, Voice of the Aegean, Stone Years and The Shirt With Number ‘9’. Today, these atmospheric melodies are hosted by GME, together with several references to the lif...

Director Lakis Papastathis was influenced by his colleague and guru Alexis Damianos and the experience of “Evdokia” film, in the filming of which he participated as an assistant director. “I spent three years of my life on “Evdokia”, working with Alexis, because this film was anarchic not only in i...

Eleni Karaindrou – “Greece’s most eloquent living composer” in the words of Time magazine – and Marios Strofalis - an award-winning soundtrack composer for cinema, theatre and television – are at the heart of today’s GME. Their extensive discography is replete with well-known melodies that have mar...

This week, here at GME, we will be celebrating ten distinguished figures of Greek film music: Giorgos Hatzinasios and Panagiotis Kalantzopoulos today; Eleni Karaindrou and Marios Strofalis tomorrow; Stamatis Kraounakis and Manos Loizos on Wednesday; Evanthia Reboutsika and Stamatis Spanoudakis on Thursday;...

The week that ends today, here at GME, was dedicated to swing covers of Greek originals – uplifting songs that are conveyed to a younger audience through a “modernisation” of their sound and rhythm. Among others, Babis Goles is revisited by The Burger Project, “Patriarch” Markos Vamvakaris is rejuve...

From Swing Shoes to Gadjo Dilo and from Mariza Rizou to The Swingin’ Cats, a fascinating story of producing new sounds through old songs is unfolding before our eyes: The story of swing covers of Greek classics. Lack of inspiration? Recycling of existing hits? Or a sincere turn to our musical past w...