Mourmourika: Songs of the Greek Underworld

Various Artists - International - Europe - Continental | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 26, 1999)
• Original Release Date: January 26, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rounder Select
• ASIN: B00000G5T5
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #426,722 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Mourmouriko-Zeimbekiko - Loannis (Jack) Halikias

2. In The Basement - A. Kostis

3. The Mangas' (Dude's) Song - Spachanis

4. Prisoner's Blues - Yeorgios Kamvisis

5. The Dude From Votanikos - Z. Kasimatis

6. The Con Artist - Stell. Perpiniadhis

7. The Dervish's Broad - K. Roukounas, Samiotakis

8. Marjorie, On The Sly - Stellakis Perpiniadhis

9. The Junkie - V. Mesolongitis

10. They Sent Us Into Exile - Yeorgios Katsaros

11. The Mourmouris - Tassos Eleftheriadhis

12. (Hash-Den Instrumental) - Loannis (Jack) Halikias

13. The Jail's A Fine School - K. Kostis

14. Manolis The Hash-Smoker - Konst. Dhoussas

15. The Ruffians - Z. Kasimatis

16. The Dark-Eyed Flirt - Stell. Perpiniadhis

17. A Mangas (Dude) At The Deke (Hash-Den) - Marika Kanaropoulou, Tourkalista

18. The Pickpockets - Kostas Roukounas

19. Dance From Syros (Syrian Hasapiko) - F. Zouridhakis

20. The Gambler - Harilaos Kritikos

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars N. Pourpourakis, December 17, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Mourmourika: Songs of the Greek Underworld (Audio CD)

I met Nick Pourpourakis, the composer of the last song on this CD, "The Sultan", 15 years ago. In his heyday he was one of the most talented and most popular of Greek Musicians here in the United States. His speciality is "Rembetiko" style music which is the theme of this CD. He is still active and performs in a local restaurant in Sherman Oaks, California and was recently on television. He composed "The Sultan" in New York in the 50's in his late teens and he has actually worked with some of the musicians who are featured on the album (who of course were quite a bit older). "The Sultan" was also chosen as background music for an episode of a very popular Soap Opera in Greece "Lampsi." This CD "MOURMOURIKA" is an excellent collection of a style of music that was in a world of its own, back in the 1900's to about the late 1950's. I recommend it highly, especially to music historians. Here's to you Nick.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well chosen collection of rare tracks, March 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Mourmourika: Songs of the Greek Underworld (Audio CD)

This CD contains a good selection of rare tracks by well known and rather more obscure singers of the rebetiko idiom. The sound quality is very good considering the age of some of the recordings. If you know rebetika already, this CD will increase your knowledge, if you are new to the music, it provides a good introduction. All in all a must have.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The real rembetica!, October 14, 2001

By 

Leonard Behr (Hudson, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mourmourika: Songs of the Greek Underworld (Audio CD)

When one travels in Greece it is very hard to find true Rembetica music. When asked where this style of music is to be found, most Greeks will send you to the nearest taverna to hear the loud, raucous, popular music that is now called rembetica by so many. For the afficianado who wishes to hear the real thing, this CD is the perfect fix. It is the best of the real rembetica singers of the 1930s to 1950 and will give the listener a true felling for the music of those times in the Greek tavernas. Acoustic, simple, clear, and totally authentic - pure Greek gold!