#bouzoukia

Many difficult words, I know 🥹 I have talked before about some genres that are specific to Greek music; one of them is Laikó, which developed during the 50s-60s from rembétiko music. Laiko means "by or for the people" and it can roughly be translated as "popular music". At the time, however, it sounded nothing like what is known as pop in western music scene. It was called laiko because it wasn't chamber or classical upscale music - it was music addressed to everyday people whom it was expressing, their joys, their sufferings, their experience.

In the 80s, laiko music evolved more and diverged into what is now "modern laiko". We can safely say that classic laiko and modern laiko are now quite different genres, different enough that one can like one but not the other, but both express the feelings of everyday people. Modern laiko especially focused on love and heartbreak songs.

The popularity of modern laiko was established in Greek nightlife entertainment venues that are called "bouzoukia". Bouzoukia did develop around 50s-60s too, as taverns with musicians and dancers, however they morphed into their current form around the 80s like the modern laiko music. They go hand in hand.

Bouzoukia are now large venues with live music that open late at night and usually shut at dawn. People usually sit at tables and get drinks there, although some offer food as well. People also dress up to go there, especially women don glitzy dresses. Most bouzoukia have a music program featuring two singers or more. The quality of the singer and the music played depends on the shop and can vary greatly - from plain bad (which earned them the nickname σκυλάδικα - skyládika, dog places) to some of the most famous singers of the laiko / pop music scene. This can also be argued for modern laiko in general; it can vary from instant classics to cheap songs made purely for entertainment. The classic laiko, on the other hand, has way more consistent quality, if not guaranteed.

The way you show your enjoyment or appreciation for the music / singing in bouzoukia has become a well known trait of the Greeks. In bouzoukia Greeks open champagnes or other bottles of drinks and offer them to the singers, they break plates, they throw napkins or they buy disks with flowers - usually carnations or roses - with which they rain on the object of their appreciation; the singer, someone who dances, a person from their company etc

One of the most famous singers of modern laikó and one of the most emblematic figures of bouzoukia was Vasilis Karrás, who passed away a couple of days ago, but I thought of making this post after Christmas.

Vasilis Karras was also a composer and lyricist besides singer, however he was especially loved for his heavy, masculine voice which went well with his trad streetwise looks. He represented the old-school man, the brooding archetype with the good, honest heart . He was a person loved and respected by his peers, known for his generosity. He passed away at the age of 70 after COVID-19 complications and a long battle with cancer.

RIP Vasilis

An example of Greeks showing their love by throwing an entire flower field in Vasilis' feet.

And as a tribute song, even more so like the proper 90s child I am, what more appropriate choice than ΓΥΡΙΣΕ ( COME BACK). Fun fact: the song is also known by a verse in the chorus, Σπάει η φωνή μου σίδερα (Spai i foní mu síthera), which means "my voice bends iron" and, as you understand, it is one of the most memorable lyrics in Greek pop culture.

EDIT: It's trending now and I stumbled onto it; Unboxholics, popular YouTubers, made a tour video in Karras' farm and his collection of vintage cars two years ago - he was evidently a man who loved life and wanted others to enjoy it with him. I see why his fans call him "big guy", "lord" and "king".

Photo by Denée Segall

“Taste” emerges out of whistling emptiness, first one drum kit then another, battering into view, and then the fuzzy, buzzy sound of a monster riff, all standard Ty Segall except for one thing. The riff comes not from a guitar but a Japanese koto. Segall set himself a challenge for First Taste: no guitars.

It’s an odd choice for a guy who may have started as a drummer, but who has over the years and a firehose spray of albums, made a name for himself as a guitar player. In a world that increasingly has little time or patience for the six-string axe, Segall would bring them onstage in twos and threes. You’d think he’d be the last person on earth still championing guitars. But this time, instead, in what appears to be a writing exercise, he substitutes a world-music collection of string instruments for the classic Fender. The feedback blaring, fuzz crusted blasts of “Taste” and “I Worship the Dog” come from koto, fed through the usual array of rock amplifiers. The trebly, staccato, slightly-off-from-Western tuned plucking of “Whatever” and “I Sing Them” comes from a bazouki.

Hello! It's wonderful that the blog has enriched your experience in D&D!

Regarding your question, burlesque in its strict sense does not exist in the Greek culture but there are a couple of things that could be considered "close enough". First of all, since burlesque itself was invented in early 19th century, I assume we are talking about Modern Greek culture? We should take into account whether what you are imagining also involves some degree of sex work, which historically happened at times with burlesque. In any case, before I go to my modern Greek suggestions, we could consider that:

in Ancient Greece there was a dance called Codrax which could either stand on its own or was often employed as an interval during comedies. The dance was downright obscene and sometimes comical to match the vibes of the show. The dancer was masked and often also played the zills.

in the Byzantine empire, women could work as actresses, dancers and acrobats. They often worked in festivals and celebrations in the hippodrome. Many of those were also sex workers and they were definitely perceived as sex workers but not all of them actually did sex work.

in Ottoman Greece, sex workers would be in taverns-brothels and they would often dance accompanied by music. The dance at the time was quite like belly dancing, the Greek-style belly dance called tsifteteli.

So now let's go to Modern Greek entertainment. There are two types of entertainment that could resemble burlesque a little bit; some types of old buzúkia and epitheórisi (revue).

Old Buzúkia

Buzukia is a Greek form of music entertainment that is still very popular today but it has been continuously evolving throughout time. The period that is relevant to our topic was between 50s-70s. Buzukia is generally a late night live music scene which also offers food and alcohol. The main focus of the show has always been the music and the singing and they were so embraced by Greek society that most of the successful commercial Greek singers have performed in buzukia for a great part of their career. Before the 70s, the show program of buzukia could vary considerably and especially the most well known ones would also feature ballets and dancers. The dance shows could have a theatrical aspect to them (ie performative dancing where some sort of simple story is easily conveyed) and the dances could be sensual. The outfits were often pretty sexy, with feathers and orientalist influences. However, it was supposed to be sexy and sensual without being too tacky and without being too provocative. There were buzukia where stripping and / or sex work was involved, however the vast majority in this type of entertainment had nothing to do with it and was pretty mainstream. There are two Greek celebrities who in movies often had roles of this type of buzukia dancers I describe here specifically, the dancer-actress Martha Karagianni and actress-singer Zozo Sapountzaki, the "Queen of the Night", as she is called (she's 91 and thriving!).

Martha Karagianni:

Zozó Sapountzaki / Greek Buzukia '68:

And this Zozo video for some costume inspiration:

(By the way Zozo at her 91st birthday party in May:

It has nothing to do with your question but I felt like saying it. I am gonna add an evil eye emoji for good measure 🧿)

Now of course there is lightness but there is no humour in all this or the humour is minimal.

Epitheórisi (revue)

Revue is a theatrical genre that has been huge in Greece up until the noughties. Revue is a satirical and comical theatrical play which does a lot of commentary on political and social matters. The Epitheorisi, like Revue in general, features most of the time dance intervals or sketches with burlesque or burlesque-like ballets. The dances are sexy but again they are not too tacky / cheap or too vulgar. They can be tacky / suggestive but there is a limit usually. The ballets often sing as well and their lyrics may be comical or satirical in the context of the play.

Some recent epitheorisi plays.

An epitheorisi poster of 1894.

And OF COURSE Zozo in an Epitheorisi play.