Ηρακλής Οικονόμου

Foreign lands in rembetiko songs This is a rare collection of rebetiko songs created from the 1930s and the mid-1950s, which talk about the harsh realities of immigration Ρεμπέτικα της ξενιτιάς «Δε φοβούμαι βρε μαγκίτη και θα φύγω απ' την Αθήνα / στην Αμερική θα πάω πώς να σου το ειπώ / μέσα ...

Haris Alexiou’s “Immigration Songs” The album “Immigration Songs” is unique in many respects: it contains performances by Greece’s top art-folk singer, Haris Alexiou; the songs had been recorded by 1987 but the album was eventually released in 2020; and there are not many collections with such a...

‘Immigrants’ by Giannis Markopoulos The 1974 album “Immigrants”, composed by Giannis Markopoulos and written by George Skourtis, defined an entire era of Greek song, when it was replete with social and political messages. Markopoulos described the album as “A cycle of songs, a bitter tribute by the co...

Domna Samiou’ “Far away from home” songs The week that starts today is dedicated to immigration and to the memory of all those immigrants and refugees who have died trying to cross the Mediterranean, including all those hundreds who perished at the Pylos migrant boat disaster on June 14, 2023. We st...

Derti songs, part 5 Today we are listening to songs referring to the ultimate symbol of all lovers and all romantic souls: the moon or “feggari”, as it is called in Greek. Ντέρτι, μέρος 5ο Ένα μικρό αφιέρωμα στο απόλυτο σύμβολο κάθε ρομαντικής ψυχής: το φεγγάρι, όπως το τραγούδησαν ερμηνευτές όπως η Μελίν...

Derti songs, part 4 A journey back in time and in a relatively ‘heavy’ repertoire of erotic bitterness and longing, with artists like Dimitris Kontolazos and Vassilis Karras. Ντέρτι, μέρος 4ο Μια βόλτα πίσω στον χρόνο και σε ένα κάπως πιο «βαρύ» ρεπερτόριο ερωτικού παράπονου: Καρράς, Κοντολ...

Derti songs, part 3 A selection of songs of erotic pain performed by some of the most popular names of light folk, from Katerina Stanisi to Angela Dimitriou and from Giorgos Mazonakis to Peggy Zina. Ντέρτι, μέρος 3ο Μια επιλογή τραγουδιών ερωτικού πόνου από κάποια από τα γνωστότερα ονόματα του ελα...

Derti songs, part 2 Anna Vissi and Antonis Remos are two legends of folk-pop, this light music genre that pretty much dominated the Greek scene over the past three decades. Their mega-hits are all anthems of the bitter, unfulfilled love. Ντέρτι, μέρος 2ο Άννα Βίσση και Αντώνης Ρέμος, δύο γνωσ...

Derti songs, part 1 This week is dedicated to songs of “derti”, a Greek word that means erotic passion, longing or pain. Today’s menu includes some of the numerous hits of Natassa Theodoridou and Pashalis Terzis, two extremely popular singers of light folk or folk-pop. Ντέρτι, μέρος 1ο Τραγούδια ...

Maramis V: The Haunted In Dimitris Maramis’ contemporary musical The Haunted, three folk ballads are combined: The Bridge of Arta, The Dead Brother’s Song, and The Ghost of Charmaina. The supernatural is the common theme that links these stories together, with the ghosts of the dam...

Maramis IV: Erotokritos Dimitris Maramis has composed a contemporary musical full of powerful melodies based on Vincenzo Cornaro’s masterpiece. With Cretan musical influences and references to jazz, the composer has created a new melodic universe. This is a live recording offered by the composer e...

Maramis III: Sentimental Age Dimitris Maramis' Sentimental Age is a cycle of songs that refers to the era of love and of the loss of love. Sentimental Age is the moment of innocence, when the heart is still pure enough to believe in love, dreams and fairy tales. Μαραμής ΙΙΙ: Αισθηματική Ηλικία Η Αισθηματ...

Maramis II: The collaboration with Korina Legaki and beyond Some of the best songs of Dimitris Maramis have been performed by Korina Legaki, a female singer who, in the words of the composer, is “technically flawless, expressive and emotionally charged, with a unique theatricality”. Μαραμής ΙΙ: Συνεργ...

Maramis I: The Federico Garcia Lorca connection The week that starts today is dedicated to Dimitris Maramis, the most talented composer of a younger generation, who has excelled in songwriting and in much more complex forms of music composition. Today we will be exploring his work inspired by the...

Cyclades Orchestra Cyclades Orchestra is a unique local initiative. Founded in 2010 by composer Nikos Kypourgos and 25 musicians and singers from Syros, it has collaborated with many major artists and has appeared regularly in dozens of concerts in the Cyclades and in cities around Greece. Ορχήστρα των Κυκ...

Syros of Manos Eleftheriou Syros-born Manos Eleftheriou was not only a superb poet and novelist, but also one of Greece’s greatest lyricists, with a tremendously important yet also popular body of work. Η Σύρος του Μάνου Ελευθερίου Μάστορας του λόγου σε όλες του τις μορφές και κορυφαίος στιχ...

Syros Mix Hip-hop band Nea Taxi Pragmaton, folk singer Chrysoula Kehagioglou, ballad singer Nana Binopoulou and singer-songwriter Nikos Zournis  take part in today’s tribute to a younger generation of Syros-related music artists. Syros Mix Το σημερινό αφιέρωμα σε καλλιτέχνες που συνδέ...

Markos Vamvakaris II Stelios Vamvakaris, son of Markos, became a leading bouzouki player and a pioneering musician, linking rebetiko songs with the blues legacy. In parallel, Stelios revisited the songs of his father in a robust, convincing manner. Μάρκος Βαμβακάρης II Ο Στέλιος Βαμβακάρης, γιος του Μά...