Last night’s and last week’s practices were limited to three people, two old-hands and a new guitarist. So, they were technical get-togethers to see how the guitarist was coping with unfamiliar material as he is new to Irish music. I’m pleased to say he’s coping very well. The last two practices have concentrated solely on... Continue Reading →
Irish Music Scene Episode #8
It’s been nearly three months since I posted anything. The unFamous Five finally got together in a garden on Saturday, July 25th. Even our tin whistle player made it. He’s on holiday from his workplace in Bulgaria. We have more or less agreed on a playlist which has now – with sheet music, chord frames... Continue Reading →
Greek Word of the Week #8
αβγατίζω – avghatizo It means to amass, increase I thought it derived from the Greek for egg [αυγό] and I imagined hens sitting on eggs to help them hatch. Something akin to “nest egg” in English. Totally wrong, apparently. It derives either from an unrelated (to egg) Ancient Greek word or the Latin augere meaning... Continue Reading →
Greek Word of the Week #7
ασκέρι – askeri Greece – or parts of it - was under the Turkish yoke from the 14th century until the 20th century. Unsurprisingly, a lot of Turkish loan-words (τουρκικοί δανεισμοί) entered the language during that period. On closer inspection, many of these loan-words entered Turkish from Arabic before being borrowed by Greek. Ασκέρι is... Continue Reading →
Irish Music (un)Episode #7
Maybe I should coin a new word - “unepisode” - because nothing is happening. Could "απεισόδιο" exist in Greek as the opposite of επεισόδιο?? Moreover, virus or no virus, it seems that the idea of establishing a session in the Thessaloniki area is going to be a non-starter for the foreseeable future. One other setback... Continue Reading →
Greek Word of the Week #6
We live in a time of Covid 19. The Greek government seems to have handled the situation very well. Germany is held up as the poster boy of Europe, but Greece’s per capita death rate is much lower than Germany’s; Greece has 13 Covid deaths per million people, whereas Germany has lost 76 per million... Continue Reading →
Irish Music Scene Episode 6
Covid 19 and the general shutdown of daily life have put my blogging on hold. I continue to practise almost daily, but I prefer to practise with a goal. I’m trying to learn reels that I ought to know and ought to have known for decades but never got round to learning them. I’m too... Continue Reading →
Irish music scene Episode 5
The music is at a standstill. Covid 19 has seen to that. The Grevena St. Patrick’s Festival was cancelled – or postponed till May – and our St. Patrick’s mini event in Riley's Bar in Peraia is also cancelled as all bars have been closed. I have received my personal belongings from Saudi Arabia among... Continue Reading →
Greek word of the week #5
κουρμπέτι – (kurbeti). I should say something that I should have said at the beginning. There is no rhyme, reason or pattern to my choice of words. The words simply catch my attention when I hear or read them. By a long circuitous route το κουρμπέτι has come to mean the marketplace or workplace. Βγαίνω... Continue Reading →
Irish music scene Episode #4
On the plus side, we have been practising and, hopefully, improving. Unfortunately, we have failed so far to attract more interest from other musicians. The session will go ahead as planned on 29th February in Riley's Irish Bar, Peraia, but it looks as if it will be limited to my three comrades and me as... Continue Reading →
Greek word of the week #4
τσίκνα – (tsikna). Today, Thursday 20th February 2020, is Τσικνοπέμπτη (Tsiknopempti). Τσίκνα is the smoky smell that comes from meat roasting on a grill, so today is Smoky Thursday or Barbecue Thursday, and in towns all over Greece you will see plenty of activity around barbecues. The Orthodox Church does not have Ash Wednesday or... Continue Reading →
Greek word of the week #3
γαλαντόμος – (ghalandomos/ghaladomos). I’m very pleased to say this word was said about me. Grateful for every compliment I can get. I like the word because it feels like a borrowing, and indeed it is. Venetians played a major role in Greece’s medieval and post-medieval history and quite a few Venetian words have entered the... Continue Reading →
My fiddle…
... resting in a bar in Bahrain
Irish music scene Episode #3
Now with a playlist put together and two practices done, we are beginning to shape up. As we were previously together in a band, the real challenge is to try to create an open session where other musicians can join in rather than sticking to our old repertoire. I have sent another message out to... Continue Reading →
Greek word of the week #2
φλώρος – (floros) literally a greenfinch or oriole. I’ve only heard this word used by young people. It is certainly not a compliment. It ranges in meaning from ‘ineffectual’ to ‘effeminate’, but perhaps its best translation is wimp or wuss.
Greek word of the Week #1
κοπανέλι (kopaneli). This is the first in a series of Greek words that I have heard or read, and which have caught my attention. Apparently, κοπανέλι relates to a style of embroidery, but I heard it in the context of food. In Greek a chicken leg is called a chicken thigh (μπούτι - bouti), and... Continue Reading →
Irish music scene Episode 2
Slowly getting it together. The two Greek-based contacts still have not got in touch, but my old friends haven't let me down. Three have rallied to the cause, a fourth is based in Bulgaria, and we are encouraging a fifth! We have also found a venue, Riley's Irish Bar in Perea. The first session will... Continue Reading →
The Irish music scene in northern Greece
There is a good band locally called Tir Fada. The members are Greek and they play Irish and Scottish music to a very high standard. However, there is no session scene so my target is to 1) find a venue and 2) find a viable number of musicians. I am on two websites, www.tradconnect.com and... Continue Reading →
Introduction
The name of the blog is inspired by the Irish song from WWI called "Salonika". Irish regiments were stationed outside Thessaloniki (the Greek name for the city). The chorus goes: So right away, so right away, So right away Salonika, right away, me soldier boys. As you can see, I have changed “right” to “write”... Continue Reading →