Peristeris Spiros

Spyros Peristeris was one of the most influential figures in early Rebetika music. His activities as a composer, multi-intrumentalist and recording director had a major impact on the music.
Peristeris was born in Smyrna in 1900 and died in Athens in1966. He went to Italian night school in Constantinople and became famous as chief mandolinist in a prestigous Smyrna string ensemble. He was recording director at Odeon/Parlophone. As recording director, he arranged for the first recording of Markos Vamvakaris after the success of the bouzouki record "Minore Tou Deke" by the American Iaonnis Halkias. He played on many of the recording sessions he supervised, playing mandolin, bouzouki, guitar or piano.He worked with the all the legendary musicians from the 1930's; Roukounas, Vamvakaris, Stratos, Eskenazi, Abadzi, Dalgas, Skarvelis, Kasimates, Keromitis and more. He also recorded many songs under his own name or various pseudonyms. His bouzouki playing was nothing short of spectacular. Debate still rages on about the type of instrument he is heard playing on many of his recordings.