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Banda Iovanica... on the trail of the legendary violinist Yangos Alexiou or Iovanicas."
Banda Iovanica is a musical band that was born in Athens in 2016. It is an attempt to find the invisible musical thread that combines the music of early 20th-century Minor Asia composers, along with the rich musical traditions of Hungary, Romania, and Russia.
Northeastern Europe comes across with the Balkans, Bosporus, and multicultural Minor Asia coasts, and they altogether create a new, explosive mix. The key figure of this musical journey is the legendary violinist Iovanicas or Yangos Alexiou, a face lost in the shadows of history. The places of action of Iovanicas are Lesvos, Smyrna, Black Sea coasts, Constanta, Braila, Bucharest.
Poverty, War, Love, Terror, Journey... the Music.
Members: Klearchos Korkovelos: cimbalom; Yannis Niarchos: guitar; Glafkos Smarianakis: violin; Loukas Metaxas: contrabass; Charis Tsalpara: accordion.
* A few words about Yangos Alexiou or Iovanicas (1850 – 1925)
He is considered one of the great masters of the violin. He was born in 1850, probably in Lesvos or in Romania. He lived in Lesvos, Istanbul, Izmir and was many times touring and playing in Greece. Iovanicas was classically music trained but was also playing traditional music with his violin. At the dawn of the 20th century, the famous "Smirnaiiko Minore" was recorded under his name. It is a legendary song that carved the path of rebetiko music through the years. Iovanicas took part in many recordings of the first decade of the 20th century, in Izmir and Istanbul. He is also mentioned by many Athenian newspaper articles of the 19th century, especially between 1886-1893, as a famous violinist that was performing in popular places, called "kafe aman." After the Minor Asia disaster, he came to Athens and, as far as we know, he died in Lesvos in 1925.
Banda Iovanica is a musical band that was born in Athens in 2016. It is an attempt to find the invisible musical thread that combines the music of early 20th-century Minor Asia composers, along with the rich musical traditions of Hungary, Romania, and Russia.
Northeastern Europe comes across with the Balkans, Bosporus, and multicultural Minor Asia coasts, and they altogether create a new, explosive mix. The key figure of this musical journey is the legendary violinist Iovanicas or Yangos Alexiou, a face lost in the shadows of history. The places of action of Iovanicas are Lesvos, Smyrna, Black Sea coasts, Constanta, Braila, Bucharest.
Poverty, War, Love, Terror, Journey... the Music.
Members: Klearchos Korkovelos: cimbalom; Yannis Niarchos: guitar; Glafkos Smarianakis: violin; Loukas Metaxas: contrabass; Charis Tsalpara: accordion.
* A few words about Yangos Alexiou or Iovanicas (1850 – 1925)
He is considered one of the great masters of the violin. He was born in 1850, probably in Lesvos or in Romania. He lived in Lesvos, Istanbul, Izmir and was many times touring and playing in Greece. Iovanicas was classically music trained but was also playing traditional music with his violin. At the dawn of the 20th century, the famous "Smirnaiiko Minore" was recorded under his name. It is a legendary song that carved the path of rebetiko music through the years. Iovanicas took part in many recordings of the first decade of the 20th century, in Izmir and Istanbul. He is also mentioned by many Athenian newspaper articles of the 19th century, especially between 1886-1893, as a famous violinist that was performing in popular places, called "kafe aman." After the Minor Asia disaster, he came to Athens and, as far as we know, he died in Lesvos in 1925.
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