Psarandonis

Psarandonis (2006)

With his daughter in concert

Psarandonis , also Psarantonis ( Greek Ψαραντώνης , real name Andonis Xylouris (Αντώνης Ξυλούρης), born September 6, 1942 in Anogia in the prefecture of Rethymno ) is one of the most important lyre musicians and singers of Crete .

Psarandonis - the pseudonym is composed of the word for "fisherman" and his first name - comes from one of the most famous families of musicians in Crete; Both his father and his grandfather were well-known musicians, his brother Nikos Xylouris, who died early, and his other brother Yannis are also known in Crete and throughout Greece. Psarandonis has been married to Katerina Doulgeraki since 1965 and has five children. Three of them, the daughter Niki and two sons, Giorgis and Charalambos, follow the family tradition and go on tour as a singer and musician with Psarandonis.

Psarandonis, a shepherd as a child, began playing the lyre in the pastures of the mountains of Crete; He made his first appearances at weddings when he was thirteen. In 1964 he recorded his first record, a single entitled "Εσκέφτηκα να σ 'αρνηθώ". Psarandonis was discovered internationally by Bayerischer Rundfunk in the late 1970s when he won first prize in a BR competition in Munich. His first long-playing record "Der Sohn des Psiloritis" ( Son Of Psiloritis ) was also recorded by BR. He then made numerous other records and became known in large parts of Europe, North America and Australia among lovers of this music.

Psarandonis is considered a representative of Cretan folk music, even if he has created his own style through his virtuosity and manner of presentation, which sometimes differs drastically from traditional interpretation. The combination of archaic patterns with very personal new style elements and a partly ecstatic lecture make the music of Andonis Xylouris unmistakable. His texts are more in the typical Cretan tradition.

Discography (selection)

• Η Μάχη της Κρήτης / Πηγές (1976)
• Σαϊτέματα (1978)
• Αναστορήματα (1982)
• Οι Ρίζες μου (1983)
• Εκτός Εαυτού (1985)
• Να Κάμω Θέλω Ταραχή (1986)
• Τα Μεράκια του Ψαραντώνη (1989)
• Από Φλόγες η Κρήτη Ζωσμένη (1990)
• 30 Χρόνια (1991) - "30 years"
• Son Of Psiloritis (1991, recorded 1981)
• Μαθήματα Πατριδογνωσίας (1991)
• Παλιό Κρασί Ειν 'η Σκέψη μου (1994) - Palió krasí in'i skepsi mou
• Μουσική Ανοιξη (1995)
• Από Καρδιάς (1996) - Apó kardiás
• Νογώ (1998) - Nogó ("I reckon")
• Ιδαίον Αντρον (1999) - Ideon Andron
• I Machi tis Kritis (2001)
• Όταν σε βλέπω τραγουδώ - Ótan se vlepo tragoudó (together with Μαρκογιάννης)
• Ένα πουλί είχα στο κλουβί - Ena pouli eicha sto klouvi
• Ριζιτικα - Rizitika
• Ο δρόμος του Ψαραντώνη - O dromos tou Psarandóni
• Cretan Folk Melodies (n.d.)
• Na ´xen i thalassa vouná (2007) - Had the sea mountains
• Ekeia pou Thelo (2008)

Web links

• Psarandonis at Allmusic (English)