Mourmourika: Songs of Greek Underworld

Amazon.com
Songs of tough men and wily women living outside of the law: dope smoking, gambling, bragging and boasting, and making it through jail time are the subjects of lyrics put to music on this CD. No, it's not gangster rap, it's not even The Threepenny Opera, this is mourmourika music, the dark underbelly of the Greek rembetica form. These rare recordings from the '30s through the '50s feature passionate vocals over a variety of string backing--bouzouki, guitar, baglama, kanoun, and the occasional violin. The surface hiss of some of these 78 rpm originals does not dim the vitality of the singers and players, and most of the tunes here are marvelously restored. The profusely annotated booklet gives insights into the social context of this music, while song translations point out timeless human themes of sorrow and survival, desperation, and celebration. --Jeff Grubb

Mourmourika: Songs of Greek Underworld,Various Artists,Rounder Select,Greece,Greek,Greek Folk,Int'l & World Music,Pop,World Music

Average customer rating: wonderful BAD RECORD The real rembetica! N. Pourpourakis Well chosen collection of rare tracks

Mourmourika: Songs of Greek Underworld Various Artists Manufacturer: Rounder Select ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Greece | Continental Europe | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music Continental | Europe | Compilations | International | Styles | Music Rounder Records | Specialty Stores | Music General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | Continental Europe | Europe | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Rembetica: Historic Urban Folk Songs From Greece My Only Consolation: Classic Pierotic Rembetica 1932-1946 Bouzouki Pioneer: 1932-1940 Dalgas 1928-1933 Rembetika: Greek Music from the Underground ASIN: B00000G5T5 Release Date: 1999-01-26

Tracks:

1. Mourmouriko-Zeimbekiko - Loannis (Jack) Halikias
2. In The Basement - A. Kostis
3. The Mangas' (Dude's) Song - Spachanis
4. Prisoner's Blues - Yeorgios Kamvisis
5. The Dude From Votanikos - Z. Kasimatis
6. The Con Artist - Stell. Perpiniadhis
7. The Dervish's Broad - K. Roukounas, Samiotakis
8. Marjorie, On The Sly - Stellakis Perpiniadhis
9. The Junkie - V. Mesolongitis
10. They Sent Us Into Exile - Yeorgios Katsaros
11. The Mourmouris - Tassos Eleftheriadhis
12. (Hash-Den Instrumental) - Loannis (Jack) Halikias
13. The Jail's A Fine School - K. Kostis
14. Manolis The Hash-Smoker - Konst. Dhoussas
15. The Ruffians - Z. Kasimatis
16. The Dark-Eyed Flirt - Stell. Perpiniadhis
17. A Mangas (Dude) At The Deke (Hash-Den) - Marika Kanaropoulou, Tourkalista
18. The Pickpockets - Kostas Roukounas
19. Dance From Syros (Syrian Hasapiko) - F. Zouridhakis
20. The Gambler - Harilaos Kritikos
21. The Sultan - N. Pourpourakis

Amazon.com

Songs of tough men and wily women living outside of the law: dope smoking, gambling, bragging and boasting, and making it through jail time are the subjects of lyrics put to music on this CD. No, it's not gangster rap, it's not even The Threepenny Opera, this is mourmourika music, the dark underbelly of the Greek rembetica form. These rare recordings from the '30s through the '50s feature passionate vocals over a variety of string backing--bouzouki, guitar, baglama, kanoun, and the occasional violin. The surface hiss of some of these 78 rpm originals does not dim the vitality of the singers and players, and most of the tunes here are marvelously restored. The profusely annotated booklet gives insights into the social context of this music, while song translations point out timeless human themes of sorrow and survival, desperation, and celebration. --Jeff Grubb

Customer Reviews:

wonderful.......2007-07-16

This is an extremely unique complilation of soem VERY rare pieces in incredibly clean condition. For a beginner, this may seem daunting but some of these cuts will never be reissued again. For the advanced student, this is an opportunity to hear pieces you have only dreamed about. To the expert, congratulations once again are due to Rounder records for some incredibly rare pieces and very interesting liner notes.

BAD RECORD.......2002-09-10

It's the first time I gonad write something like this... It's to bad to be true...

The real rembetica!.......2001-10-14

When one travels in Greece it is very hard to find true Rembetica music. When asked where this style of music is to be found, most Greeks will send you to the nearest taverna to hear the loud, raucous, popular music that is now called rembetica by so many. For the afficianado who wishes to hear the real thing, this CD is the perfect fix. It is the best of the real rembetica singers of the 1930s to 1950 and will give the listener a true felling for the music of those times in the Greek tavernas. Acoustic, simple, clear, and totally authentic - pure Greek gold!

N. Pourpourakis.......2000-12-17

I met Nick Pourpourakis, the composer of the last song on this CD, "The Sultan", 15 years ago. In his heyday he was one of the most talented and most popular of Greek Musicians here in the United States. His speciality is "Rembetiko" style music which is the theme of this CD. He is still active and performs in a local restaurant in Sherman Oaks, California and was recently on television. He composed "The Sultan" in New York in the 50's in his late teens and he has actually worked with some of the musicians who are featured on the album (who of course were quite a bit older). "The Sultan" was also chosen as background music for an episode of a very popular Soap Opera in Greece "Lampsi." This CD "MOURMOURIKA" is an excellent collection of a style of music that was in a world of its own, back in the 1900's to about the late 1950's. I recommend it highly, especially to music historians. Here's to you Nick.

Well chosen collection of rare tracks.......1999-03-23

This CD contains a good selection of rare tracks by well known and rather more obscure singers of the rebetiko idiom. The sound quality is very good considering the age of some of the recordings. If you know rebetika already, this CD will increase your knowledge, if you are new to the music, it provides a good introduction. All in all a must have.

World Music:

1. Muse of the Round Sky
2. Music Of Indonesia 4: Music Of Nias & North Sumatra
3. Nessuno [Import]
4. No. 0 [Import]
5. Not a Second Time [Import]
6. O Amante [Import]
7. O Malandro 50 Anos [Import]
8. Olli Kahn [CD-single] [Import]
9. Palais des Congres 2004 [Import]
10. Palais Schaumburg [Import]

World Music

world music

World Music

We All Live in Glass Houses [Import]

Fiati Virtuosi

Dans Mon Ile [Import]

Machine Gun [Import]

Down to Earth [Import]

Event Horizon 2 [Import]

Citizen Steely Dan [Box set]

Everything Must Go

Faute Ya Commerçant

Composers from Theresienstadt, 1941-1945: Pavel Haas, Karel Berman

Danny D'Imperio and the Bloviators

Carrousel

Blood Sweat and Years [Clean]

Lochloosa

Last of the Whorehouse Piano Players