Thread: Greek Music

I dance at a greek restaurant and I don't really like the music I have. However, I have no idea what to use or how to know what they would best respond to. I tried this CD by a gal named Katia and this adorable woman from Istanbul told me that this was not belly dance music "this music i dance with my sweetheart". We had fun but I was a little embarrassed. So I am looking for good Greek music for a restaurant.

Please help me avoid any further embarrassment.

They quite often play vintage Greek stuff on Radio Bastet so it might be worth checking their playlists (though sometimes the songs are difficult to track down in a downloadable format).

One particular classic composer you might want to check out is Dimitri Mitropoulos who can be found on iTunes (though not much of his stuff) under Dimitri and his Orchestra.

Some Arabic pop singers occaisionally sing in Greek (I've got a performance coming up to Dania's Afrahou Gannouh, which is in Greek). However, I suspect they come under the 'music I dance with my sweetheart category', as opposed to Greek Bellydance music as such.

Did you see this thread? http://www.bhuz.com/forum/music-trad...c-sources.html

Originally Posted by dancingwithjuls

I dance at a greek restaurant and I don't really like the music I have. However, I have no idea what to use or how to know what they would best respond to. I tried this CD by a gal named Katia and this adorable woman from Istanbul told me that this was not belly dance music "this music i dance with my sweetheart". We had fun but I was a little embarrassed. So I am looking for good Greek music for a restaurant.

Please help me avoid any further embarrassment.

I've used songs from this CD and I was able to infuse some bellydance into it. Not totally, but if you want to try that, it's fun. I've also seen one or two other dancers bellydance to it and it didn't turn out too bad.

Also, from Putomayo, there is a Greek music CD that has some pretty classic yet upbeat songs I would consider using some time.

Wow thank you sooo much for your help. I think I should be ok but I will need to accumulate more over time. Finding good music is quite difficult. I do have one other question.

How do you know the difference between Greek Bellydance music and Greek Line dance music? It sounds very similar to me.

Oh it's very different. Now this may not be what your lady in the restaurant is referring to. But in the US. "Greek Belly dancing" typically refers to a specific style and sound, featuring the bouzoukee and trap drums.

Here is Greek "style" belly dancing.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywqSRPv4MCg]YouTube - Aida best belly dancer ever[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sxm3-bg_ZeU]YouTube - Naima, Detroit Belly Dancer, Vintage Live Greek Belly Dancing[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzv-dNj5qeo]YouTube - The Levendes Live! - Tsifteteli[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bH2wwBy58j0"]YouTube- The Levendes Live! - Hariklaki[/ame]

Line dancing...the rhythm and beat is totally different...

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbtzuFlWhGY&feature=related]YouTube - The Levendes Live! - Apoliome[/ame]

The majority of songs on the Katia CD are line dances. The majority of songs on the 2 vol. The Greek Belly Dance CD that's available online is line dance.

Most Greek music, unless it is in the Tsfitellia category is probably a line dance. Or zembetico, which we always referered to as the drunken sailor dance.

My basic rule of thumb...if it makes you want to travel and shimmy...it's belly dance. If it wants to make you move side to side...it's line dance.

That makes a lot of sense. All the time that the lady made the line dance comment I was dancing basically just from the Katia CD. We had LOTS of fun that weekend there was lots of jumping and napkin waving and dish breaking and dancing with waiters! But I will admit that is was a bit awkward for me because I did not know how do do the dancing they were doing. Thank you for clarifying that for me Norma. Thought it seems to be a subtle difference in some cases it seems it could be either. I will have to look over my line up for this weekend and make sure I got the right stuff. I have two new CD's I am working with this time and they are:
"Greek Belly dance music" by Greek Oriental Orchestra
and
"Greek Belly Dance Music:Oriental Bouzouki Instrumentals" by Various Artists

The songs I have on the list are(not in order):
Darbuka Solo 1
Pantheon Party
Tsifeteli of Love
Gypsy Dance
Yaleli (I think this may be a line dance)
Nica
Solo Krousta2
Solo Darbuka
Arapiko Tsiftetelli
Solo Krousta
To Arapiko Tsiftetelli
To Neo Tsiftelli

I can tell this will take some ear training and time. Thank you for all your help.

im not sure of the actual CD, but Dhen Salazo is one of my favs for the Greek restaurant im at.
i've also used Tamzara, although it's Armenian the restaurant usually has a mix of people from all over the Balkan region, as well as a Lebanese crowd that comes by a lot. see what kind of mix there is, and pay attention to what songs people request if there is an open dance time. ^_^
ps: it took me a while to get used to the bouzuki music too, but i love it now, that is a good cd. (ps: did you download it? does your copy of pantheon party skip too?)

One word: PAVLO! I had the opportunity to dance with him and his band when they came to Vancouver last year and his music is amazing to dance to! All of the greek parties I've used his music at have been pleased because they've all been just crazy about him, but a mix of current and traditional greek music would probably work best.

I'm not familar with the CD's you mentioned but I've learned through the school of hard knocks and much money spent that even if a CD is labeled Greek Belly Dancing it is really a CD of Greek Line dance music.

Eddie Linardos used to put out albums of good routines to dance to but so far I don't think they've been captured on CD.

You might want to start with Conchi's CD Greek Belly Dance Explosion. It's not the absolute 100% greatest, but it's a start in the right direction. If that is the style your restaurant is looking for...

explosion

Originally Posted by dancingwithjuls

That makes a lot of sense. All the time that the lady made the line dance comment I was dancing basically just from the Katia CD. We had LOTS of fun that weekend there was lots of jumping and napkin waving and dish breaking and dancing with waiters! But I will admit that is was a bit awkward for me because I did not know how do do the dancing they were doing. Thank you for clarifying that for me Norma. Thought it seems to be a subtle difference in some cases it seems it could be either. I will have to look over my line up for this weekend and make sure I got the right stuff. I have two new CD's I am working with this time and they are:
"Greek Belly dance music" by Greek Oriental Orchestra
and
"Greek Belly Dance Music:Oriental Bouzouki Instrumentals" by Various Artists

The songs I have on the list are(not in order):
Darbuka Solo 1
Pantheon Party
Tsifeteli of Love
Gypsy Dance
Yaleli (I think this may be a line dance)
Nica
Solo Krousta2
Solo Darbuka
Arapiko Tsiftetelli
Solo Krousta
To Arapiko Tsiftetelli
To Neo Tsiftelli

I can tell this will take some ear training and time. Thank you for all your help.

Holy Cow -I don't know about the other clips on that CD, but Solo Darbuka is a drum solo by Lebanese Composer Setrak. I forget which CD it's on but it's definitely Setrak, not Greek at all.