Perach Adom - Rembetiko Band

Rembetiko music — also known as Rembetika — was born in Asia Minor at the end of the 19th century. To a large extent, the music has a Turkish flavor.

There are 2 schools of Rembetiko music:
Smyrna-Style — Songs with Eastern tunes, which became rooted mainly by women singers accompanied by a small band comprising a violinist, an oud player, and a kanoun player. The most famous of these singers was Rosa Eskenazi (a Jew), and Rita Abadzi. In these songs, the word “Aman” is continually heard — an exclamation in Turkish meaning “Have pity.” This word is often heard in songs, as a way of making space for the singer to launch into an improvisation. Between 1900 and 1930, these singers performed often in the cities of Smyrna, Valos and Saloniki. The shows were held in places that became known as “Cafè Aman.”

Piraeus-Style — Sprang up in the harbor area of Piraeus, where the bouzouki and the baglam?s were prevalent. This is music for dancing (the Casapiko and the Zeibekiko). The songs were mainly performed by male singers, with grovelly voices. The major and the minor scales took their place alongside the Eastern maqams. The bouzouki player Markos Vamvakaris is the most prominent player of this style of rembetiko. During the 30s, he founded the well-known Piraeus Quartet, which had an influence on a whole generation of Rembetiko composers. Other famous names were Dimitris Gongos, Giorgos Mitsakis, Yiannis Papaioannou, Vasilis Tsitsanis, Hadjichristos, Manolis Hiotis and Giorgos Zambetas. The most important female performers of this genre are Sotiria Bellou and Marika Ninou.

Rembetiko music — similar to that of the tango, the flamenco, the blues and the Fado — was born out of sorrow, pain, desire and yearnings; this is the reason that it is so real.

An example of a typical rembetiko song:

"Small Doll" (1930) — lyrics and music by Paniotis Tondas
Kiss me on my lips/ I can’t hold out anymore/ Give me a small kiss/ I love you very much/
Small doll of mine/ I’m drowning in your sensual kisses/ I love you very much/
Kind-hearted small doll of mine/ You’ve broken me/ How violent is your heart toward me/
You caused me to fall in love with you/ And I’m suffering because of you, doll/ You caused me anguish forever/
The scarf that is wrapped around your neck/ Is burning me with fire/ Small one/ You poisoned my pathetic life/ Small doll of mine.
We’d like to add that the well-known composers Theodorakis and Hadjidakis used components of rembetiko music as an important foundation of their compositions.
If you are interested in expanding your knowledge of rembetiko in general, or specifically in learning how to play the bouzouki/baglam?s and in participating in a rembetiko group — Tomer Katz teaches at the Academy of Eastern Music, Tel. 02-628-0779


		About the Rembetiko
		Rembetiko music — also known as Rembetika — was born in Asia Minor at the end of the 19th century. To a large extent, the music has a Turkish flavor. There are 2 schools of Rembetiko music: Smyrna-Style — Songs with Eastern tunes, which became rooted mainly by women singers accompanied by a small band comprising a violinist, an oud player, and a kanoun player. The most famous of these singers was Rosa Eskenazi (a Jew), and Rita Abadzi. In these songs, the word “Aman” is continually heard — an exclamation in Turkish meaning “Have pity.” This word is often heard in songs, as a way of making space for the singer to launch into an improvisation. Between 1900 and 1930, these singers performed often in the cities of Smyrna, Valos and Saloniki. The shows were held in places that became known as “Cafè Aman.” Piraeus-Style — Sprang up in the harbor area of Piraeus, where the bouzouki and the baglam?s were prevalent. This is music for dancing (the Casapiko and the Zeibekiko). The songs were mainly performed by male singers, with grovelly voices. The major and the minor scales took their place alongside the Eastern maqams. The bouzouki player Markos Vamvakaris is the most prominent player of this style of rembetiko. During the 30s, he founded the well-known Piraeus Quartet, which had an influence on a whole generation of Rembetiko composers. Other famous names were Dimitris Gongos, Giorgos Mitsakis, Yiannis Papaioannou, Vasilis Tsitsanis, Hadjichristos, Manolis Hiotis and Giorgos Zambetas. The most important female performers of this genre are Sotiria Bellou and Marika Ninou. Rembetiko music — similar to that of the tango, the flamenco, the blues and the Fado — was born out of sorrow, pain, desire and yearnings; this is the reason that it is so real. An example of a typical rembetiko song: "Small Doll" (1930) — lyrics and music by Paniotis Tondas Kiss me on my lips/ I can’t hold out anymore/ Give me a small kiss/ I love you very much/ Small doll of mine/ I’m drowning in your sensual kisses/ I love you very much/ Kind-hearted small doll of mine/ You’ve broken me/ How violent is your heart toward me/ You caused me to fall in love with you/ And I’m suffering because of you, doll/ You caused me anguish forever/ The scarf that is wrapped around your neck/ Is burning me with fire/ Small one/ You poisoned my pathetic life/ Small doll of mine. We’d like to add that the well-known composers Theodorakis and Hadjidakis used components of rembetiko music as an important foundation of their compositions. If you are interested in expanding your knowledge of rembetiko in general, or specifically in learning how to play the bouzouki/baglam?s and in participating in a rembetiko group — Tomer Katz teaches at the Academy of Eastern Music, Tel. 02-628-0779