“Παπαδιά” – Κώστας Καραγιάννης (1931) – Greek Clarinet

The Ted Lewis record I posted yesterday had me digging through the stacks to find interesting clarinet records – both in and outside the jazz tradition. I found a few that I wanted to share and this is one of them.

I am very happy to have learned more about Kóstas Karagiánnis, the clarinetist on this record from viewer @henridelagardere264. He was born in the late 1880s to a family of folk artists and seems to have learned clarinet from a local master – perhaps from a Turkish-born musician named Ζεκύλ (Zekyll).

I found his energetic playing on this record to be inspired and lively.

The Orthophonic label is an interesting one – made by Victor and sold domestically, they reissued many imported Greek records from the late 1920s and early 1930s. DAHR said that this 12″ Orthophonic issue was “re-recorded” from a 10″ record – which I take to mean was dubbed. If so – it holds up quite well for a dubbed copy.

Συρτο (Syrto)

Recorded in Athens, Greece on May 13, 1931.
Re-recorded (dubbed) from 10″ on December 3, 1931.
Released as Orthophonic S-609.