The
Stylistic Mish-Mash
I'm glad that you asked this question really:-)
I was thinking long time how to describe in a few
words the music which is presented here on Meditera.Co.Uk. It is World Beat, it is
Greek, it is Adult Contemporary.
But the glue that connects them all, and the clues
as to understand its essence is really the term Blues.
Blues the Mediterranean Way - might be a
good description, I guess. Because all my interest in music
started with the sound of the Electric Guitar. It was the
instrument that attracted me to start practicing and listening and
diving into this world of musicians, rehearsal, gigs, recordings
and now Internet sales.
And it was the Blues Compositions in the beginning.
I learned to play the solos of Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Allman
Brothers Band, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Freddie King
- to mention just a few.
And this is my essence - I am a Blues Guitarist.
Later, I started acquiring knowledge of Progressive
Rock, and Psychedelic Rock; after that I started learning the
Greek Bouzouki; Macedonian Folk Music with all its rhythmic
complexity and its instrument called Tambura.
So, the music which I create is necessarily a
mish-mash of all these influences: Blues, Rock, Greek and Balkan
Folklore.
And I use the term World-Beat to describe the
Fusion between these Easter and Western European styles.
Viktor Mastoridis
Some
examples
Take the track
Crying
from the album Longing (CD
or
MP3). The rhythm is a glorious 3/2, called Tsamiko. It
sets a sober mood. The Tambura takes over the melody. The Mandolin
joins. In come the Drums, almost Pink Floyd-ish, I would say.
Tambura, Mandolin and Electric Guitar play the main tune, which is
still Eastern, but now the arrangement is more Western. The tune
ends with a typical Blues solo on electric Guitar.
Or,
Rush Hour
from the album Restless (CD
or
MP3). The rhythm is 9/8, again Balkan, again complex.
The Electric Guitar builds the melody, which neither Jazzy,
neither Folky, but a bit of both. But then, the guitar solo in the
middle turns more and more into a fine Blues improvisation.
The instrumental
Birth
from the album Bursting (CD
or
MP3). Electric Guitar Contemporary Instrumental with a
typical Greek/Arabic melody. Yet again, wait till the solo in the
middle - it's there: basically Blues with a strong influence of
the Phrygian Minor mode from the Near East.
The audio-track
Quiet River
on Calm (CD
or
MP3). Acoustic Guitar Instrumental with arpeggio rhythm
Guitar, normal harmony, normal rhythm (occasionally:-). The
melody, however, is a subtle synthesis between Acoustic Guitar
Blues and Mediterranean feel. No second thoughts about it.
Tsifteteli on the Sunny Island (CD
or
MP3). This one is typical for the subject and the best
selling MP3 single on iTunes. Bouzouki is the main instrument
here, playing a Modern Belly Dance tune. But the term Modern here
really means Blues: all the riffs, everything that isn't Oriental
there, is simply Blues - the rhythmic feel, the scale, the
coolness - if you want.
Elliniko Dzaz
is another great example of merging Blues and Greek music on this
album.
Where's the Blues?
