MARÍA SÍMOGLOU ENSEMBLE

Singer-musician born in Thessaloniki, established in Marseilles and spotted in Oneira and numerous other collaborations (Spyros Sakkas, Stelios Petrakis, Bijan Chemirani …), Maria Simoglou adapts with grace a repertoire of songs from Smyrna (Izmir) of early twentieth century. Her smooth voice travels through stories of sailors and exile or tearful love adding a melodic refinement to the harshness and sentimentality of the texts. Although Rebetiko originates back to the 30s, hers is timeless and draws from themes that still rustle in the ports of Greece and Asia Minor, between Oriental love poetry and social protest. A fiery and poignant testimony. Definitely contemporary…