Markos Vamvakaris

Markos Vamvakaris ( Greek Μάρκος Βαμβακάρης , * May 10, 1905 in the Skali (Σκαλί) district of Ano Syros, on Syros ; † February 8, 1972 in Nikea ) was a Greek bouzouki player and rebetiko interpreter .

Life

Vamvakaris initially worked as a butcher in Piraeus in order to be able to support himself and his family, as the bouzouki was in dubious reputation at that time, together with the rembetiko , whose main instrument it was. Both were associated with crime; anyone who played or even owned such an instrument was considered disreputable.

In 1934 Vamvakaris founded the Rembetiko quartet "Ksakousti Tetras tou Pirea" together with Giorgos Batis , Stratos Pagioumtzis and Anestis Delias , also known as Artemis .

Vamvakaris succumbed to kidney failure as a result of his diabetes at the age of 66.

legacy

In 1995 the municipality of Ano Syros opened the Markos Vamvakaris Museum. In 2000 the documentary M 'Aresoun oi Kardies san ti diki mou by George Zervas was released. The documentation illuminates the life of Vamvakaris and the socio-cultural framework in which the artist moved. In 2003 Giorgos Dalaras released the live CD A Tribute to Vamvakaris ; Guest musicians included the sons Stelios and Domenikos Vamvakari. The 4-part television series Rebetiki istoria - Markos Vamvakaris by Lazaros Lazaridis was released in 2007.

Vamvakaris' son Stelios, like his father a bouzouki player and singer, initiated a multimedia homage project with other Rembetiko musicians in 2012 on the 40th anniversary of his death, with which he has since performed all over Europe.

Music selection

• Markos Vamvakaris - Bouzouki Pioneer 1932-1940
• Rembetika - Manges Passion Drugs Jail Disease Death / Songs of the Greek Underground 1925–1947, Trikont US-0293

literature

• Markos Vamvakaris - autobiography, by Angelikis Bellou- Kail, Athens 1978, ISBN 960-02-0020-3 .