Grippy Grappa (Monsieur Doumani, 2013)
Monsieur Doumani is a world music group from the small island nation of Cyprus, located in the Mediterranean. The band was formed in 2011 in Nicosia. The trio includes Antonis Antoniou on tzouras (a stringed instrument related to the bouzouki), Angelos Ionas on guitar, and Demetris Yiasemides on wind instruments.
The album Grippy Grappa is a lively mix of Cypriot folk music, modern and global music elements and good humor. Grippy Grappa includes fascinating tzouras and flute interplays, Balkan brass band sounds, bluesy guitar, Gypsy swing and even funk.
The material selected for the album includes 11 rearrangements of traditional Cypriot songs and 3 original pieces. “Ahaparos”, one of the original compositions is a satirical song with music and lyrics by Antonis Antoniou that was inspired by an untimely incident that the group experienced at a festival in Cyprus last year. “Peakin Myroaton”, also written by Antoniou, makes reference to the recent financial crisis in Cyprus.
Grippy Grappa featured a few guests. Maroulla Constantinou from Astromeritis appears on “Peakin Myroaton.” Other guests are Symis Soukiouroglou on clarinet and vocals, and Dimitris Aristidou and Efthymia Alphas on vocals.
The album’s cover is by renowned Cypriot designer and storyteller, Hambis Tsaggaris from his book “O Spanos tzai oi 40 Dratzioi” (Spanos and the 40 Dragons).
Grippy Grappa is a spirited collection of traditional and contemporary Cypriot music through the lens of Monsieur Doumani, a group formed by some of Cyprus’ most interesting musicians.
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Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
