George Cardamis plays jazz classic "Yesterdays"(Athens Live Radio 1954)

A pioneer of jazz in Greece George Cardamis became famous in the late 40s & thru the 50s as a clarinet & sax alto soloist. Born in Corfu -the island of the musicians- he was involved in music from a very early age violin being his first instrument.
He arrived in Athens in his 20s & soon after the war he formed his own band & worked at the best nite clubs of Athens attracting the Athenian elite who would go to the clubs" to listen to Cardamis " the same way nowadays they go to clubs listen to famous singers.
Indeed it seems incredible that a musician who had never travelled abroad had developped such a refine sound & attitude just from the sounds of the vinyl he was exposed to!!!!!!
Besides his fame as a superb exponent of jazz clarinet & sax he also composed several pop hits of his era in swing bolero rumba mambo tango fashion.Among his hits are the swing songs "S'EHASA MA EGO THEN SE KSEHASA (1948)" "IRTHES" 'POS THELO NA SE KANWO DIKI MOU (1951) " OLI MAS ZILEVOUN (1945) " etc as well as his great bolero hit " GIATI NA SE LATREYW TOSO (1950) "
George continued performing with his own band till the late 60's a period where bouzouki music had started getting the attention of middle & high class society in Greece becoming the in thing.Result of this was that musicians who played horns & clarinet gradually found themselves without jobs for lack of demand.Most of them had to give up their main instrument & replace it with guitar or bassguitar or piano or keyboard.
George followed the same trend & in the 70s made the transition from a bandleader & clarinet & sax to playing solo piano at well known Hotels (hilton divani etc).
After the transition he did not seek publicity but most importantly he did not merge into the new style of music that was spreading ...simply put it was too PLAIN for him....As he used to say " They Are Taking Us Back To Cantathes(cantabile songs before the war)..
His love for music (with first & foremost jazz) was immense-a born musician who remained faithful to the music he loved & of which he was a great exponent !!
It is though because of his not seeking publicity & not merging with the new trends in music that George Cardamis has not YET been recognised in Greece for who he was & what he offered ( In my eyes the greatest pioneer of the Jazz & swing era in Greece).
That is why i am thrilled to be given the opportunity thru YouTube to rectify that & do justice To George Cardamis' invaluable offer.LET THE WORLD KNOW NOW......
I am very thrilled to have just unearthed from old cassettes some of George Cardamis' marvelous playing on both instruments.
"Yestrerdays" comes from his weekly live radio program in the early 50s " THE GEORGE CARDAMIS SEXTET ".

Oh...by the way....George Cardamis is my father....lol..
Dad i'm proud of you & your artistry...JOB WELL DONE ....YOU SERVED MUSIC RIGHT...& NOW JUSTICE IS BEING DONE.......THANK YOU!!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• jazz
• swing
• era
• alto
• altosax
• ballad
• mellow
• cardamis
• pioneer
• mouskouri
• sextet
• liveradio
• radio
• athens
• greece

[manosjazz]

Your father surely loved Johnny Hodges....you can hear it in every note and phrase...you must provide us with more of his recordings,that's for sure!!Thanks for revealing this great greek player to us.Will be expecting more...

[spiramus]

@manosjazz

thnx appreciated !!! I surely will....For now check his clarinet on George Cardamis : The Benny Goodman of Greece .....which is a tribute to his career with photos etc.

[XRISTINAT]

THIS IS IT!!!.. G. Cardamis of "Yesterdays" and carries on "TODAY". BEAUTIFUL "live" sounds from "Yesterdays'. Keep it Coming!