ABOUT
Kristi Stassinopoulou – short portrait
Singer, lyricist and fiction writer Kristi Stassinopoulou, a native Athenian, active on Greece’s alternative music scene for many years, has generated a wide appeal in the international world music circuit.
Accompanied by her longtime collaborator composer, arranger, co-producer and multi-instrumentalist -with an all-round grasp of diverse styles- Stathis Kalyviotis, they have made 6 albums of international appeal:
Ifantokosmos (1997), Echotropia (No 6 in the World Music Charts Europe, May 2000), The Secrets of the Rocks (No 1 in the World Music Charts Europe, Jan 2003 / stayed 5 months in the top 10 World Music Charts Europe), Taxidoscopio (No 3 in the World Music Charts Europe, March & April 2007 / “traveler’s tales from the Greekadelic Queen” fRoots magazine), Greekadelia, (containing folktronic arrangements of Greek traditional folk songs of the rural areas / Nο 1 in the World Music Charts Europe, August & September 2012) and NYN (Νο 1 in the Transglobal World Music Charts, October 2016 / Νο 2, in the World Music Charts Europe, November 2016 / No 7, in the “Albums of the year 2016” list, World Music Charts Europe).
Kristi’s poetic lyrics evoke primordial mythology, alluding to imaginary landscapes, sun worship, bright passions and things eternal. The successful blend of traditional Greek rhythms and sound colors, haunting Byzantine vocal lines, rembetika music, psychedelic rock, ambience and electronica, combined with Kristi’s vivid scenic appearance and personality and her colorful band, sparked great response and led to frequent appearances in international music festivals, prestigious venues and alternative clubs in Europe, N. America and Brazil:
21st Montreal International Jazz Festival, Canada / Winnipeg Folk festival, Canada / NY Summer Stage, New York, USA / Kennedy Centre, Washington DC, USA / Womex 2002, Essen, Germany / Poesie Festival, Berlin Art Academy, Germany / Glatt & Verkehrt, Austria / Europe in Union, Union Chappel, London UK / Barbican Theater, London, UK / Fira Manresa, Spain / Forum Barcelona 2004, Spain / Museum of Modern Art, Valencia, Spain, Palao de Musica, Valencia, Spain / 7 Soi 7 Luas, Portugal / Mostra de Artes Mediterraneo, Brazil / to name a few…
Her albums and her performances have been gathering enthusiastic reviews all around the globe (fRoots, UK / Songlines, UK / Guardian, UK / Independent, UK / New York Herald Tribune, USA / Global Village, USA / Billboard, USA / El Pais, Spain / Time Out, UK / La Presse, Canada / and many more).
Kristi is also a published writer and has released 3 books:
Seven Times in Amorgos (1993, Kastaniotis Editions): Seven mystery short stories set on the faraway Greek, Cycladic island.
The Fiery Sword (1995, Livanis Editions): A novel of magic set in Athens in the early 90s.
Diaries On the Road (October 2023, Opportuna Editions): In her newly released book Kristi narrates her interesting, adventurous and often also funny, experiences and impressions from the twenty-five years that she has been touring the world together with Stathis Kalyviotis and their band, warmly embraced by the world music circuit, a music scene that gives the chance to all kinds of musicians from all different countries and continents to be playing their music and sing their own language all over the world.
Kristi and Stathis continue their musical voyage, writing new songs, experimenting on sounds and giving concerts and reading events together with music, in Greece and abroad.
Stathis Kalyviotis - short portrait
Composer, arranger, multi-instrumentalist and co-producer, together with Kristi Stassinopoulou, of the albums NYN, Greekadelia , Taxidoscopio, The Secrets of the Rocks, Echotropia and Ifantokosmos.
In 1980 formed the group Anipoforoi (The Unbearables), one of the first Greek punk bands singing in Greek language. During the 80s he cooperated with some of the most important groups of the Greek independent rock music scene (Low Noise, Echo Tattoo, Selana). In the late 80s, he started cooperating with Greek singer-lyricist Kristi Stassinopoulou. Beginning of the 90s Stathis started using also traditional string instruments and experimenting on electronics and live looping. His albums with Kristi Stassinopoulou started having an international appeal. Since then, together with Kristi Stassinopoulou and their band they are touring the world, presenting their music in music festivals and venues.
Kristi Stassinopoulou & Stathis Kalyviotis, in concert
Kristi Stassinopoulou: vocals, Indian harmonium, frame drum
Stathis Kalyviotis: laouto, live looping, electronics, keyboard
In their live concerts Kristi Stassinopoulou in singing and story telling, Indian harmonium, frame drums and small percussions and Stathis Kalyviotis on laouto, live looping, groove sampler and electronics, are taking us to a sound-scape ranging from purely acoustic to purely electronic and visiting all the in-betweens with folk songs from their country and also with their own compositions from their albums.
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