Antonis Amirallis (Papatzis) early 20th century harmonica player

[John kos]

Antonis Amirallis was the first known armonica and accordion player in traditional and early greek folk music (rembetika) . Originally born in Kordellio Smyrna (the Karşıyaka province of Izmir in modern Turkey ) in 1896 he started recording his first recordings in Instabul . In my search for his biography i could not find when he moved where he lived for the rest of his life . A propable assumption would be after the Greco-Turkish war of 1922 along with other Greeks . in the 1930's he participated with other musicians who formed the early rempetika orchestras at the time (mostly reffered today as Smyrna rembetika) playing with known singers such as Antonis Dalgas .He died in Athens in 1959 .


Here is a picture of him holding a piano accordeon


here we hear him in a pretty famous song trava re manga ke alani with the singer kostas roukounas

another one where he plays a traditional kalamatiano dance

 

[murathan]

There are non-muslims in Izmir too but Istanbul is very open to other ethnicities. As Istanbul was always a metropolis like Rome or New York, people lived together happily.

 

[John kos]

There are non-muslims in Izmir too but Istanbul is very open to other ethnicities. As Istanbul was always a metropolis like Rome or New York, people lived together happily.

I think this is true more than ever . I've had some friends who stayed in Instabul for a good 7 months and said they felt very welcomed. I'd also like to visit someday.