Stelios Kazantzidis

Stelios Kazantzidis

Stelios Kazantzidis (August 29 1931–September 14, 2001) (Greek: Στέλιος Καζαντζίδης) was a prominent Greek singer. Between the 1950s and 1990s he was considered the voice of the Greek diaspora. His death was an emotional event for the Greeks; the obituaries gave full appreciations of his life and his importance.

Such was his emotional attachment to the people of Greece and its migrants, Kazantzidis was given a national funeral through the streets of Athens which was broadcast live on Greek Television.

His death saw Greece and its millions of migrants scattered all over the world, with whom Kazantzidis had formed a bond through his songs, for in Stelios they had a means of expression. His music captured their feelings in the difficult post-war period.

He was considered by many as the most prolific and stirring singer of Greek popular music, or Laïkó, and he worked with many of Greece's most renowned composers and writers. One of the first composers he ever worked with described his voice as "made for expressing anguish".

Life

Kazantzidis was born at 33 Alaeas St, Nea Ionia in Athens. He was the first of two brothers born to Haralambos Kazantzidis (of Pontian roots from Ordu) and Gesthimani Kazantzidis, who moved from what is now Western Turkey to Greece during the Greco-Turkish War.

He was orphaned at the age of 13 when his father, a member of the Greek Resistance, was tortured to death by the rightists. This forced Kazantzidis into employment, working as a baggage-carrier at Omonia Square and then for an interstate bus company, as a seller of roasted chestnuts at open markets, and as a labourer at the Nea Ionia textile mills.

His life changed when the owner of a factory, which was located in the Perissos working district, gave him a guitar. He spent long hours playing music.

He made his first public appearance at a Kifissia night club in the early 1950s and soon after, in July 1952, made his first studio recording at Columbia studios with a song entitled "I'm going for a swim" (Για μπάνιο πάω), written by Apostolos Kaldaras. It did not do well but he tried again, recording Gianni Papaioannou's "The suitcases" (Οι βαλίτσες) soon after. The song became the first of many hits and with his newfound popularity he began to make appearances in some of the biggest clubs of the time, like "Theios", "Mpertzeletos" and "Rosignol".

With his career in full swing, Kazantzidis began to collaborate with some of the biggest names in the Greek music scene of the time, like the renowned composers Vassilis Tsitsanis, Manos Hadjidakis, Mikis Theodorakis, Stavros Xarhakos and Manolis Chiotis, while he presented singer Marinella and they became the most legendary duet of that time.

He was also known to sing in Turkish , , , , , and most likely inherited the Turkish language from his parents.

Filmography

• Madam Mayor (1960)
• Oi Adistaktoi (1965)
• Hour of justice (1967)
• O Gerodokoros (1967)
• The world's breadcrumbs (1968)

Discography

Albums

• 1961-63
• O Stelios Tragoudaei - 'Stelios is Singing (2001/2002)
• Iparho - I Exist
• Stelios Kazantzidis: Ta zeibekika (2006/2007?)

Singles

Notable Stelios Kazantzidis songs include:

• I zoi mou oli - My entire life - 2:57
• Dio Portes Echi i Zoi - Life Has Two Doors - 3:20
• To Agriolouloudo - The Wildflower - 2:50
• Allotines Mou Epoches - 2:43
• Anemona - 3:00
• Den Tha Xanagapiso - I Will Never Love Again - 3:10
• As Eicha tin Ygeia Mou - If I Had My Health - 3:03
• An Einai i Agapi Egklima - If Love Is A Crime - 2:26
• Ego me tin Axia Mou - My Worth- 3:15
• Eimai Ena Kormi Chameno - I'm A Lost Man - 3:33
• Exo Ap'Adiko - 3:04
• Gyrizo Ap'ti Nychta - Returning From The Night - 2:58
• Tin Kalyva Ti Diki Mou - That Hut Of Mine - 2:32
• I Kardia Mou As Opsetai - 3:16
• Kathenas me ton Pono Tou - Each With His Pain - 3:20
• Katastrofes kai Symfores - 3:45
• Ki An Gello Einai Psema - If I Laugh, It's A Lie - 3:24
• Me Xypnas Charamata - You Wake Me At Dawn - 2:40
• Niotho mia Kourasi Vareia - I Feel A Deep Weariness - 3:05
• Nomiza Pos Itan Filoi - I Thought They Were Friends - 3:15
• Otan Methaei o Anthropos - When A Man Gets Drunk - 2:46
• Pare ta Chnaria Mou - 3:08
• I Stenachoria Mou - My Worries - 3:00
• Tha to Po Fanera - I'll Say It Openly - 3:24
• Sto Trapezi pou ta Pino - At The Table Where I Drink - 2:37
• H Kypros ine Elliniki - Cyprus is Greek - 3:12

Trivia

His song "Efyge efyge" was used during a pivotal montage during season 2, episode 11 ("Bad Dreams") of the HBO series The Wire.

External links

• IMDb entry on Stelios Kazantzidis
• Who is Stelios Kazantzidis?, Trapezounta
• Stelios Kazantzidis' videos on YouTube
• Blog for Stelios Kazantzidis
• syllogos filwn Stelios Kazantzidis