TWO extraordinary ensembles from Greece, Pliri Ntaxei and Chrysoula K and Purpura, are among a talented line-up who will take over the Melbourne Recital Centre for one day in March.
Rebetiko Festival artistic director Con Kalamaras came back to rebetiko, or Greek blues, relatively recently.
“Rebetiko is urban improvised music created over 100 years ago by Greek refugees from Asia Minor (Turkey),” he said.
“I only rediscovered rebetiko 10 years ago and never turned back.”
The music is a cross-cultural embroidery built on Byzantine, Turkish, Sephardic Jewish, Middle Eastern, Armenian, North African and Greek musical traditions.
Like the blues, it is extraordinarily diverse in terms of epochs and influences.
“We’ve curated a festival of exile, redemption and love,” Con said.
“Pliri Ntaxei will bring a raw edgy authenticity of old style gritty rebetika, while the all-female ensemble of Chrysoula K and Purpura are ethereal and will combine traditional instruments with contemporary music.”
The festival will also feature local talent, including the Israeli, Lebanese, Turkish and Greek Zourouna and the Melbourne Rebetiko Ensemble and Philhellenes.
Dean Georgalas will lead the Melbourne Bouzouki Orchestra made up of young students, and Manasis School of Greek Dance and Culture will bust moves all over the city.
Club nights will also be hosted at the Greek Centre for Contemporary Culture as well as select Jewish and Muslim venues.
- Rebetiko Festival, March 10, Melbourne Recital Centre, Southbank, 3-10.30pm. Festival passes are $55-$69 plus booking fee. Book on (03) 9699-3333 or www.melbournerecital.com.au
