Katerina Papadopoulou – Anástasis (Saphrane Records, 2021)
Katerina Papadopoulou is a very important figure in Greek traditional music. She is one of the vocalists who specializes in performing traditional songs from various regions of Greece and other areas that were settled by Greeks.
On Anástasis, Katerina showcases her beautiful vocal style accompanied by a fantastic lineup of instrumentalists who play instruments from Greece and other parts of the eastern Mediterranean.
The album follows the imaginary travels of the Rose of Jericho plant. Rose of Jericho, also known as the Rose of Virgin Mary or the Resurrection Rose (Anastatica hierochuntica) is a plant found throughout the Middle East. The herb has small white flowers. After the rainy season, it dries up, drops its leaves and curls into a tight ball, apparently dead. When moistened again, it opens up.
Hellenic culture traveled widely in ancient times. The traditional songs and melodies on Anástasis, arranged by Katerina and the ensemble, hail from Asia Minor, the Aegean, Thrace, Macedonia, Pontos, and southern Italy.
The lineup includes Katerina Papadopoulou on lead vocals; Stefanos Dorbarakis on kanun and vocals; Kyriakos Tapakis on ud (Arabic lute) and laud (Spanish lute); Giorgos Kontogiannis on Cretan lyra and Aegean lyra; Chariton Charitonidis on bagpipe, tsambuna (no drone bagpipe), floghera (end blown flute); Theodoros Kouelis on bass; and Manousos Klapakis on percussion.
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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.