Arcs & Rivers

I’ve encountered the bouzouki in a number of different contexts: rebetika, laïko, Irish traditional music and various eastern-Mediterranean crossover ensembles, but jazz bouzouki was a first for me. As the notes point out, rebetika has often been compared to the blues, so perhaps the jump isn’t too far, and once I began to listen I found the combination particularly beguiling. It certainly helps that Georgios Prokopiou is a virtuoso on his instrument, able to tease out winding lines and textures, and Lyssarides’ piano accompaniment provides both a strong harmonic and rhythmic foundation, with some great improvisation of its own. I like the homages in some of the titles: ‘A Night in Pireaus’, one of the best tracks on the album with its fast ostinato accompaniment, surely referencing ‘A Night in Tunisia’, and ‘Orange Moon’, likewise tipping a hat to ‘Blue Moon’ – it certainly has a similarly lyrical feel. There is much to enjoy; the compositions differ in tempo and feel, allowing the musicians to keep everything fresh, including on the highly amusing play on Greek traditions in the final, and live, ‘Zafeirious Solo’, with jaw-dropping playing.