Foustalierakis Stelios i Foustalieris

Stelios Foustalierakis (Foustalieris). Born in 1911 in Rethimnon of Crete, Greece. He practiced the "Boulgari", a bouzouki like instrument, which he helped recognizing as a melodious instrument fit for solo performances. He was influenced by "rebetika" songs during his stay in Piraeus. Boulgari is a type of tampoura that is found on East Mediteranean music. The Sumerian name pan-tour (small arrow) appears to be even today the prevailing one for this instrument. Bouzouki belongs in this family of instruments. On Crete its main representative is considered to be Foustalierakis with "the tampachaniotika" (urban Cretan songs) that was the cause to introduce boulgari into discography.