The meld of electric bouzouki and the Pontian bagpipes could be heard in the streets of Fitzroy last weekend.
Melbourne’s eclectic musicians Heirs of Apollo and Cats and the Canary came together at Fitzroy’s Workers Club pub venue to bring their amazing new take on traditional Greek music. The crowd loved it.
After enjoying a drink and a bite to eat from the bar, my partner Vicki and I soon realised that many of Melbourne’s music loving Greek community had got the news of the event and had the same idea as us. Soon we were in conversation with Melbourne artisan winemaker and educator Achilles Kalanis and the gregarious Paul Sougleris, discussing the relative merits of Greek and Italian regional wines. It was no surprise to see our own Greek Consul-General Emmanuel Kakavelakis, enter the venue, as one with a refined musical appreciation. As the music got underway in the cozy music venue outback, the crowd swelled and swayed to the music.
The first set was by the Heirs of Apollo, with the versatile Joseph Tsombanopoulos on laouto and Pontian bagpipers, Dimitris Stathopoulos on electric guitar, George Athanasakos on clarino and Chris Stathopoulos on drums. I’ve seen them before and am always excited to see this new group that has emerged from Melbourne’s Greek community circuit in the last year or so. Being a Scot, I do love the sound of the bagpipes but I’m also someone brought up on the sound of 70’s and 80s rock as well as the 60’s folk revival. Heirs of Apollo began slowly and then ramped up the electrics and volume, pleasing the crowd as it bopped and danced along.
Talking to my friend Dr John Martino, we discussed how this style echoes the traditional folk music from across the Mediterranean, from Greece to Italy, France to Spain. Listening to Joseph’s subtle bagpipes takes me back to listening to almost the same tunes in a village in Brittany.
Then came Melbourne’s flamboyant Cats and the Canary, wowing the crowd with their Greek swing. They have taken many old songs, many from old movies, and jazzed them up, giving them life again. The band brings together Jacob Papadopoulos on electric bouzouki, the versatile George Kiriakidis on accordion (as well as trumpet and trombone), Demetrius Kiriakidis on lead guitar, Odysseas Kripotos on bass and Zacharias Rigas on drums, all backing the strong vocals of the lead singer. The familiar words saw many singing along, no doubt remembering the days their parents took them to see old Greek movies at the cinemas that once dotted Melbourne’s Greek suburbs.
You can’t be anything but captivated by the performance of the groups lead singer, Fenia Hatzimihail. Dressed to kill, with echoes of the 50’s, she gives all to her performance. It’s not just her voice, it’s the whole package. She’s as captivating as a classic film star; I’m thinking Rita Hayworth in Gilda! Talking to her after the concert she expresses her love for this musical style. A new addition to the band, Fenia has clearly made her mark on the group’s performance.
Soon the crowd was swaying to the smooth rhythms of Greek swing. I could see Denise Za enjoying the beat, Theo and Con Markos swaying along and Paul Sougleris taking it all in. Soon Greek Community Board members Jeana Vithoulkas and my partner Vicki Kyritsis as well as Katina Kokkinos were up dancing and enjoying the beat. I could see some of the Greek community’s Creative Drama and Arts theatre group, fresh from their triumph with the drama Twenty-Two, dancing up front.
The venue has a beer garden, a quiet place to enjoy the short break between sets. I am soon in conversation with Emmanuel and Evelyn Darzanos of the Hellenic Museum, discussing the importance of the musical fusion that these two groups have brought to Melbourne. Emmanuel is a big fan of Cats and the Canary, describing himself as one of their groupies. He is fulsome in his praise of both groups, saying that they are both something that Melbourne’s Greek community really needs. As we talk I am taken back to the Orkney Islands and its annual music festival, where this evening’s musical performance would have fitted in nicely.
“These two new groups are evidence of something great that’s been emerging in Melbourne’s vibrant Greek music scene. We have Con Kalamaras reigniting awareness of the classics of rebetiko on his CD’s, at his concerts and in his amazing jam sessions which are not doubt inspiring a new generation to listen to and take up the rebetiko style. We have the incredible Paddy Montgomery ramming it out on his bouzouki, an aficiando of the instrument, at John Rerakis’ Philhellene restaurant. And now we have the Heirs of Apollo and Cats and the Canary.”
Something is clearly happening amongst the music scene in Melbourne. I thank all these performers for their efforts. They have revitalised Greek music and its appreciation well beyond the post-war generation so it can be heard and appreciated by today’s youth.
They have done something special. They have reinterpreted the traditional music that has inspired them, added their own magic to it and created something new. Listening to it brings many worlds together. You can hear the roots of songs but there’s more. It’s creating a connection between the past and today. This is so important for the continuing relevance and survival of Greek music in Melbourne and Australia. Some might be upset; thinking they are tampering with their heritage. But heritage is a moving and evolving thing.
We need to nurture this new musical creation and support. I wish all these musicians every success and hope to see their audience expand. Bravo!
Jim Claven is a trained historian, freelance writer and published author. He can be contacted via email at jimclaven@yahoo.com.au