Listen to the first track on this album
Get it all here.
A really lovely CD I picked up at GMV (25-50 31st Street, Astoria, NY 11102). I just assumed that, because it looked to be a female singing duo, this CD must therefore be as awesome as this or this. My assumption was indeed correct--the album is filled with absolutely gorgeous harmonies--although I'm completely in the dark as to whether Eirini Konitopoulou-Legaki is one person or two. Help!
I've been recovering from a bout with what was either a low-grade nasal infection or early strep throat; the antibiotics I started on Friday made me feel so energetic by Saturday that I spent the day rearranging my room and writing/drawing work space. Why should you care? Because, dear reader, in the process I discovered a number of things I had long ago planned to post here but for whatever reason had slipped out of sight and mind. Insane great things. Don't believe me? Check out yesterday's post and then come back to me with your hesitation and nay-sayin'.
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7 comments:
Hi Gary,
Thanks you for this post!
I got addicted to the popular music of Crete (called Kritiki of Kritika) after going there on a holiday last year. After listening to the drone-like music (mostly with lyre, percussion, guitar and singing or 'mumbling') I couldn't get it out of my head anymore. The music scene on the island is very active and you hear the stuff in every other mini market or cafe and often performed live.
The cd you posted is in a milder, more popularized form but still very nice.
You can listen to the local Cretan radio station online: http://www.erotokritos.gr
and download shit loads of Kritiki from this site: http://www.google.nl/search?q=site%3Awww.hellenism.net+ΚΡΗΤΙΚΑ
Cheers,
Martin
PS Get well soon
thanks for all of the fascinating music you post - how richer our lives have become thanks to the internet!
I dug around in Google to find out more about this singer and it would seem that she is from Naxos in the Cyclades, not Crete
http://www.umbc.edu/MA/index/number10/holst/holst_2a.htm
I guess there are strong similarities between the islands musical traditions and, anyway, what's a 100 miles of ocean between friends
vox
and ...
the profile on her fan Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/%CE%9A%CE%BF%CE%BD%CE%B9%CF%84%CE%BF%CF%80%CE%BF%CF%8D%CE%BB%CE%BF%CF%85-%CE%9B%CE%B5%CE%B3%CE%AC%CE%BA%CE%B7-%CE%95%CE%B9%CF%81%CE%AE%CE%BD%CE%B7-Konitopoulou-Legaki-Irini-Fan-Page/150449525010658?sk=info) says that this album 'Great Success' was released in 1982, which pre-dates the period when she is said to have recorded with her daughter, Helen Legaki, but I suspect that is who is with her on this record
vox
and finally
the 100 miles of sea do make a difference as this would not be classed as kritiki:
"Eirini rose to prominence during the [1950s], and her name was to become synonymous with the nisiotika. Nisiotika is one of the most distinctive categories of Greek Music and Greek songs, referring to the music created in the islands of the central Aegean Sea – the complexes of Cyclades, the Dodecanese and the Sporades. Nisiotika are light songs, with a gentle rhythm, without the dramatic element of the Cretan or Pontic Music."
which is why Martin regards this as "a milder, more popularized form"
vox
Forgive the delay, Martin and vox, but thank you so much for all of your leg-work and insights!
Hello Gary,
Gail Holst-Warhaft has written the book, literally, on Rembetika. She has this to say about Eirini Konitopoulou-Legaki (one woman, she is)
http://www.umbc.edu/MA/index/number10/holst/holst_2a.htm
Gary
Konitopoulou-Legaki is her father's surname + her husban's surname. She is from Naxos Cyclades coming from a BIG music family. She's is very famous and her family -Konitopouloi - for singing songs from greek island and especially from Cyclades ("nisiotika" in greek). Thanx for all of your postings
from always sunshine GRRRReece
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