Crete: The Land Of Zorba (Audio CD)

   The music of Crete is unique, although it is of the same family of Greek and some Turkish Aegean and rebetika styles. The nation is famous for its lyre, which resembles the Turkish fasil kemence; it is often accompanied by a lute, the laouto, and sometimes a third string, such as mandolin or guitar. In this anthology, three musicians are featured. Nikos Gonianakis, the well-recorded Vassilis Skoulas, and Psarantonis Antonis. No notes are included in this on-demand CD-R issue (or .mp3 download); thus little can be added. The music apparently is of folk tunes, ballads, and syrta and horos dances. I particularly liked the dances. The album gives a good taste of traditional music and contrasts with the more global music of Stelios Petrakis and transplant Ross Daly. If you like Greek music, consider this album to explore a related Mediterranean style.