Al compas del mundo - programa #71 - Music from Greece and Turkey

Two countries, neighbors, each with a distinct language born of totally different roots, one Orthodox Catholic, the other Moslem, and not always the best of friends as viewed on the historical ledger. Still, I think you will hear similarities in the ways folks express themselves musically and that speaks of a certain brotherhood in spite of what the politicians say. The clarinet, accordion, hourglass drums, and a variety of violin-like strings play outsize roles on either side of the border. There is an “Oriental” air defining both cultures that leans towards the Middle East and Eastern Europe simultaneously. To my ears it’s a savory mix. I’ve had the great pleasure of visiting each country though it was back decades ago when the lifestyle was undoubtedly different from today. When reminiscing of Turkey, I’ve always brought up one particular impression that left its mark: women in bikinis on the beach as the local prayer leader calls the faithful from a nearby minaret. It showed a tolerance and melding of ways not found easily in the region. Just ask the women of Tehran. In Greece my travelling companion and I got the evil eye cast our way late one night in a tiny tavern well off the beaten path. In fact, I believe it was from the white-haired gent situated at right-center near the bottom of this R. Crumb-ish illustration. He’s smiling cuz he knows our discomfort was only temporary and served as an intro to the delicate balance in life for the solid citizens of that Old World order. He divined that one day this Northamerican would be playing Greek music on Mexican radio.

PLAYLIST - First broadcast 4-06-23

01 Alexos Kitsakis - ΑΓΑΠΗ ΞΗΜΕΡΩΣΕ ΦΕΥΓΩ (Greece)

02 Nikos Oikonomidis and Kyriaki Spanoy -To Tragoydi Toy Klidona (Greece)

03 Με Τη Θεια Μου Την Κοντύλω - Δόμνα Σαμίου (Greece)

04 Tassos Chalkias - Το Δέλβινο (κοφτό) (Greece)

05 Μωρ Δεροπολίτισσα - Ηπειρώτικο (from the north of Epirus, Greece)

06 Το φλουρί - Μεσήμβρια Ανατολικής Ρωμυλίας (Βόρεια Θράκη) (Greece)

07 Ήρθε ο καιρός να φύγουμε - Ήπειρος (music from Epirus, Greece)

08 Stelios Petrakis - Kyma ke Vrahos (Greece)

09 Cati Steali - Mi lo dorlu (Greece)

10 Sultan Guler - Geyinmiş Kuşanmış Yayladan Gelir (Turkey)

11 Onay Şahin - Bir Türkü Diyeceğim (Turkey)

12 Sıtkı Akın - Ham çökelek (Turkey)

13 Tülin Berbergil - Ah Hamamcı Bu Hamama Güzellerden Kim Gelir (Turkey)

14 Koma Mazluman - Hewal (Turkey)

15 Whirling Dervishes - Sufi Samá (from Konya, Turkey)

16 Zülfükâr Arslan - Deyiş (Turkey)

17 Koro - Bedestene Vardım Şalvar İsterim (Turkey)

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