Ηρακλής Οικονόμου

Folk legend Dimitra Papiou singing an archontorebetiko classic by Nikos Gounaris. Popular divas Litsa Diamanti and Katerina Stanisi serving the extensive repertoire of art-folk maestro Stamatis Kraounakis. Pop-folk star Kaiti Garbi registering her name next to a masterpiece by art lyricist Lina Nikolakopoulou....

Is pop star Despina Vandi compatible with not one, not two, but three of Tsitsanis’ rebetiko classics? What is the connection between the queen of Greek pop, Anna Vissi, and art-folk composer Stavros Kougioumtzis? Has pop-folk diva Kaiti Garbi ever sung live a song by bouzouki soloist Thanasis Polykandriotis? A...

Konstantina’s live recording of a Mimis Plessas’ folk hit, Pashalis Terzis’ encounter with Christos Nikolopoulos, Antzela Dimitriou’s live cover of an Antonis Vardis’ masterpiece, Giorgos Mazonakis’ coexistence with Stamatis Kraounakis; these are some of the ingredients of today’s recipe here at GME, ...

Throughout the week that starts today, here at GME, we shall be enjoying recordings that highlight the blending of different traditions of popular song – unexpected encounters of pop artists or heavy folk vocalists singing art songs, and so on. Kelly Kellekidou sings Stamatis Kraounakis, Filippos N...

With this episode, we conclude our week-long tribute by turning to some relatively recent studio and live recordings of his songs by prominent Greek vocalists.

100 years Mikis Theodorakis: Global Mikis

Milva, Liesbeth List, Gisela May, Edmonda Aldini, Christina Cunne, Maria del Mar Bonet – this episode's track list includes a prestigious list of popular female singers who recorded Mikis’ creations in Italian, German, Dutch… These collaborations demonstrate the global impact of an artist who was a...

100 χρόνια Μίκης Θεοδωράκης: Σύγχρονα ηλεκτρονικά remix

100 years Mikis Theodorakis: His instrumental side

Here come some of the coolest summertime tunes, revisited through fascinating remixes by dynamic artists such as Ekmek, Mikro, Stereomatic, Vptheo and Thanos Kalentinis. The past meets the present, colossal composers such as Mimis Plessas and Manolis Hiotis meet the contemporary touch of innovative...

Nikos Mamagakis was an internationally recognised figure of the music of the 20th century, with a massive contribution to the development of avant-garde. Of equal significance is his numerous collections of songs that span across various genres, from New Wave to art and folk. Mamagakis passed away on...

Demis Roussos is, together with Vangelis and Nana Mouskouri, the most recognizable Greek “brand” name in the field of music, having sold more than 50 million records in his unmatched career. His songs fully convey the Mediterranean summertime colours; as Roussos himself indicatively said: “The reaso...

When poet and lyricist Manos Eleftheriou was asked to write a short autobiographical note, he wrote the following text: “I was born in 1938 in Ermoupolis, Syros. I wrote poems, short stories and lyrics for many songs. I read many books, listened to a lot of music, saw places. I met great people and m...

Gerasimos Lavranos is basically known to everyone more as a soundtrack composer and not so much as a songwriter. Indeed, some well-known Greek films from the sixties and seventies had their music composed by him. Today, we will be appreciating the more cosmopolitan creations of this great jazzman that...

Throughout the week that ends today, here at GME, we turned to the music of Epirus, a core type of Greek traditional music, and its main instrument: the Greek clarinet or clarino. Vassilis Soukas, Tassos Halkias, Giorgos Mangas, Manos Achalinotopoulos and Vassilis Saleas are the clarino instrumentalists...

Vasilis Saleas is the soloist who brought the Greek clarinet to the greatest music halls around the world. Self-taught, he inspired great composers and has managed for many years to "dress" everything he loves with his favorite musical instrument and its melodies. Vassilis Saleas, who grew up in a house...

Manos Achalinotopoulos considered by critics as the best clarinet performer of the new generation in Greece, was born and grew up in Athens. He started learning the flute and clarinet from a very early age. Manos Achalinotopoulos has travelled -playing clarinet, cawal and flutes- in more than 20 countries...

Tasos Halkias was among the most celebrated performers of Greek music in general, having a vast repertoire and command of many styles, and the music of Epirus in particular. He was born in 1914 near Ioannina in northwestern Greece. His family consisted of musicians going back to the 19th century. Halkias...