Books – an incomplete list of sources
American Folklife Center. Ethnic Recordings in America: A Neglected Heritage (Studies in American Folklife). Washington, D.C., 1982. An anthology of essays that were inspired by a 1977 meeting of the American Folklife Center focusing on early ethnic recordings produced in the US.
Anoyanakis, Fivos. Greek Folk Musical Instruments Athens, Greece, 1979. National Bank of Greece. Detailed descriptions of the instruments, including playing technique and construction methods.
Butterworth, Katherine and Schneider, Sara, eds. Rembetika, Songs from the Old Greek Underworld Athens, Greece: Komboloi, 1975. A collection, in English, of articles by Petropoulou, Dragoumi, and Petrides. Includes some lyrics in Greek and English.
Danielou, Alain. Introduction to the Study of Musical Scales. London, 1943. A deep dive into musical scales not only from a “music theory” point of view, but also via physics, metaphysics and history.
Eskenzai, Roza. Auta pou thimamai Athens: Odysseas Hatzopoulos &; Co. 1982. Roza’s reminiscing on her life include a brief autobiography in her own words and an interview, as well as a collection of photos.
Gauntlett, Stathis. Rembetika Carmina Graciae Recentioris Diss. University of Oxford, 1978. Limni, Evia, Greece: Denise Harvey &; Co., 1985. Gauntlett’s very complete thesis, which he subtitles “A Contribution to the Definition of the Term and the Genre Rembetiko Tragoudi Through Detailed Analysis of its Verses and of the Evolution of its Performance”
Housepian, Marjorie. The Smyrna Affair New York: Harcourt Brace, 1971. Subtitled “The First Comprehensive Account of the Burning of the City &; the Expulsion of the Christians from Turkey in 1922.”
Holst-Warhaft, Gail. Road to Rembetika: Music of a Greek Subculture. Songs of love, sorrow and hashish Limni, Evia, Greece: Denise Harvey Publisher, 1994. A good introductory volume, in English, on the subject of rembetika; includes some lyrics. Contrary to popular belief, this is still in print – and in a new edition. For info, visit Denise Harvey Publisher.
Mazower, Mark. Inside Hitler’s Greece: The Experience of Occupation, 1941-1944 Princeton: Yale University Press, 1995. Mazower uses first-hand accounts and archival material, including documents previously unavailable, to form a very enlightening yet readable study of life in Greece during World War II. The ensuing Civil War is also discussed.
Pagiatis, Charolambos Oi Laikoi Dromoi Athens, Greece: Mousikes Ekdoseis Fagotto, 1987. In Greek. An interesting discussion of the modes used in rembetika, also includes info on Byzantine ixoi and Ancient Greek tropoi.
Petropoulou, Ilias. Rembetika Tragoudia Athens, Greece: Kedros, 1991. A monster of a book – 700 pages, costs a fortune, but well worth it for the abundance of lyrics and vintage photos. In Greek.
Revault d’Allones, Olivier La Creation Artistique et Les Promesses De La Liberte Editions Klincksieck: Paris, 1973. In French. Chapter V I “L’Art Contre La Society: Une Culture Dominee: Le Rebetika”.
Signell, Karl. Makam: Modal Practice in Turkish Art Music. USA, 1977. Reprinted by DaCpo Press, 1986. A look at the structure of Turkish makamlar and how musicians modulate between them in Turkish art (classical) music.
Spottswood, Richard K. Ethnic Music on Record Urbana, Illinois: University of Illinois Press, 1990. The subtitle tells it all: A Discography of Ethnic Recordings Produced in the United States, 1893-1942.
Vamvakaris, Markos Autobiographia Ed. Ageliki Bellou-Keil. Athens, Greece: Ekdoseis Papazisi, 1978. In Greek. Markos in his own words. Also includes some lyrics.
Videos
de Montagnie, Philipe. (Producer) Rembetika, the Blues of Greece (Videotape). New York: Brighton Video. A documentary based upon Holst’s Road to Remebtika. In English
Zervoulakos, Yiorgos (Producer). Rembetiko (Videotape). Dir. Costas Ferris. Music by Stavros Xarchakos. 1986. A movie produced in Greece following the lives of a rembetika singer and her friends. A little camp, a little corny, but still a good watch. In Greek; English subtitled version available.
And finally, I’d like to acknowledge “Pete” who took me on as a bouzouki student at a time when most scoffed at a kori playing the instrument. His stories and insights into the bouzouki scene of the 1950s and ’60s, and his knowledge of the dromoi, was priceless. His patience as a teacher made all the difference.