GIORGOS KATSAROS Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Mississippi Records' obsession with underground Greek music continues with ten ultra-rare recordings of heartbreak and vice from rembetiko legend Giorgos Katsaros. Katsaros, who by some accounts lived to be over 100 years old, carried the old songs of Greece to the Diaspora in the United States, bridging centuries of music in one storied lifetime. Born in 1901 on the Greek island of Amorgos, Katsaros was enchanted with the songs he picked up as a kid in the streets of Piraeus and Athens. Encouraged by his grandfather, an amateur singer, Katsaros developed a style that mirrored his upbringing - centuries-old Asia Minor songs, island rhythms of his homeland, well-known Athenian songs of the time, and anonymous rebetiko songs. This new decalogue brings a well-selected chronology - sieved from a wider, but still minimal, corpus of just 64 recordings made over the course of Katsaros' life - and melts it all down in a single crucible. The sense of hypnotic intrigue is central to Katsaros' music, and is made obvious as soon as one drops the needle on the record: what starts out from simple instrumentation - mere elegiac voice, and steel-string guitar - ends on a reverent, lulling high (the mechanism behind which effect, we have no idea).

Review: The legendary Giorgos Katsaros, a revered figure in Greek rembetiko, is celebrated in this remarkable collection of ten ultra-rare tracks. Known for his steel-string guitar and powerful voice, Katsaros shaped Greek underground music, transporting it across the Atlantic to the Greek Diaspora in the US. His songs reflect the soul of a bygone era, blending rhythms from Asia Minor, Greek islands, and the streets of Piraeus and Athens. Born in 1901 on Amorgos, Katsaros was deeply influenced by his grandfather and the street music he absorbed as a young boy. His sound captures the spirit of the manges, the rebellious figures of early 20th-century Greece who found solace in wine, hashish, and music. This collection, remastered from 64 surviving recordings, revives the rich, melancholic beauty of his guitar and voice, carrying listeners into the smoke-filled taverns where his music thrived. These newly remastered recordings, pressed on red vinyl, breathe fresh life into Katsaros' timeless work, ensuring his legacy endures. With lyrics translated by Tony Klein and newly unearthed research by Greek historians Stavros Kourousis and Konstantinos Kopanitsanos, this release provides a comprehensive look at the myth and music of a Greek icon. The LP comes complete with extensive liner notes, adding depth to this already essential release.