Ιωάννης Μαρκογιαννάκης, Ψαραντώνης, Γιώργος Ξυλούρης - Εκεί ψηλά

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Review by James Smythe

Album Review: Εκεί ψηλά by Ιωάννης Μαρκογιαννάκης, Ψαραντώνης, Γιώργος Ξυλούρης If you’re into Cretan music or just looking for something that feels like a warm breeze on a Greek island, Εκεί ψηλά is worth your time. Released back in 2005 under the label Σείστρον, this album brings together some heavy hitters of the genre—Ιωάννης Μαρκογιαννάκης, Ψαραντώνης, and Γιώργος Ξυλούρης—and it’s got that raw, earthy vibe that only Cretan folk can pull off. The whole thing was recorded by Γιάννης Ζαμπουλάκης (props to him for capturing those authentic vibes) and mixed by Nikos Kefaloyannis, so technically it’s solid. But let’s talk tracks, because honestly, this album doesn’t mess around. One track I keep coming back to is “Περβολιανός συρτός.” Man, this one hits different. It’s got that driving rhythm that makes you want to grab someone and start dancing—even if you don’t know how to dance Cretan style. The lyra takes center stage here, weaving these emotional melodies that feel ancient but also totally alive. There’s something about the way they layer the instruments—it’s simple yet powerful, like hearing an old story told with fresh energy. Another standout is “Σ’ ήντα στραθιά εμίσεψες (συρτά).” This one’s slower, more reflective, and dang does it hit you right in the feels. You can tell there’s heartbreak baked into every note. The vocals are haunting, almost conversational, like the singer’s sitting across from you spilling their soul over a glass of raki. And when the laouto kicks in? Forget it—you’re transported straight to a mountain village somewhere in Crete. What I love most about this album is how unpolished it feels compared to modern stuff. Like, yeah, it could’ve been cleaned up a bit more in post-production, but that would’ve taken away its charm. These guys aren’t trying too hard—they’re just letting the music breathe and do its thing. That kind of honesty is rare these days. Oh, fun fact: half the songs have “συρτά” in the title, which basically means they’re all variations of the same traditional dance rhythm. At first, I thought it might get repetitive, but nope—it never gets old. Each track has its own personality while still staying true to the roots. So yeah, Εκεί ψηλά isn’t perfect, but maybe that’s why I dig it so much. It’s real, it’s heartfelt, and it reminds me why folk music matters—it connects us to places we’ve never even been. If you listen closely enough, you might even catch whispers of goat bells in the background. Or maybe that’s just me losing my mind…谁知道呢?

Table of Contents

Download

Filename: .zip
  • MP3 size: 48 mb
  • FLAC size: 597.6 mb

Tracks

TrackDurationPreview
Πρώτος συρτός (ορχηστρικό)5:42
Ήλιε μου σαν εξώμεινες (συρτά)6:50
Σ’ ήντα στραθιά εμίσεψες (συρτά)6:07
Σπηλιανός συρτός (ορχηστρικό)5:56
Ανάσα απ’ την ανάσα μου (συρτά)6:17
Ονειροδρόμιο (συρτά)4:41
Περβολιανός συρτός4:13
Άμα δε ιδώ τον ήλιο μου (συρτά)5:51
Στ’ ανέμου την ανελωμή (συρτά)4:47
Συρτά Θ. Σκορδαλού & Γ. Μαρκογιαννάκη (ορχηστρικό)3:57
Ποιος ήλιος ποιο ξημέρωμα (συρτά)5:06
Πεντοζάλια (ορχηστρικό)4:09

Images

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Catalog Numbers

A.M.A. 139

Labels

Σείστρον

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Formats

  • CD
  • Album

Credits

RoleCredit
Mixed ByNikos Kefaloyannis
Recorded ByΓιάννης Ζαμπουλάκης

Barcodes

Barcode: 5206229021887

About Ιωάννης Μαρκογιαννάκης, Ψαραντώνης, Γιώργος Ξυλούρης

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(1926 - 2017) a.k.a. Μαρκογιάννης Cretan artist Born at Σπήλι St. Vaseilios, Rethemnos, Crete, Greece in 1926 Son of the famous Cretan Lyre player (a.k.a. Μαρκογιώργη) Brother to He started playing Lute at the age of 8 with the help of his father, that later on he accompanied him until the end of his carrer. Back then Cretan Lyre players were accompanied by Mandolin and Bulgari until early 20's. Before him only Στάυρος Ψυλλάκης (Ψύλλος) from Episkopi, Κουρκουλός Prine and (Μπαξεβάνης) from Malaki were playing the Lute along with the Cretan Lyre. He was nephew of of and they started to collaborate in 1936. In 1946 they wrote: the famous:« Μόνο εκείνος π αγαπά » continuing for 30 years. He made collaborations with famous Cretan artists such as: , , , , Γιώργος Μουζουράκης from Παντάνασσα , Πλακιανός from Καλύβες Αποκορώνου , Λυρατζαντώνης from Μέλαμπες, Γιάννης Γιουλούντας from Πρασές, Φραγκής from Τυμπάκι, Γαβρίλης from Πιτσίδια, Μανόλης Λουμπάκης or Μανώλης Λουμπάκης from Κρουσσώνα,, Κώστας Φωτάκης from Αποδούλου Αμαρίου, Νίκος Φακιδάρης from Πέραμα Ρεθύμνου, Ανδρέας Κορώνης from Γεράνι Ρεθύμνου, Ηρακλής Σταυρουλάκης from Επισκοπή Πεδιάδος, Παντελής Σταυρουλάκης from Χάρακας, Νίκος Κολιακουδάκης from Αποκόρωνας , Μιχάλης Βαβουράκης from Κρύα Βρύση, Νίκος Ντουρουντουδάκης from Μυριοκέφαλα , Γιώργος Αυγενάκης from Σπήλι. In 1960 he started his collaboration with with whom they gave many live performances and earned distinctions. Died at his birthplace Rethemnos in March 29th 2017.

Real Name

    • Γιάννης Μαρκογιαννάκης - Giannis Markogiannakis

Name Vars

  • I. Markogiannakis
  • Makrogianakis
  • Γ. Μαρκογιάννης
  • Γ. Μαρκογιαννάκης
  • Γιάν. Μαρκογιαννάκης
  • Γιάννης Μαρκογιαννάκης
  • Ι. Μαρκογιαννάκης
  • Ιω. Μαρκογιαννάκης
  • Ιωάν. Μαρκογιαννάκης
  • Μαρκογιάννης
  • Μαρκογιαννάκης
  • Μαρκογιαννάκης Γιάννης
  • ༸ω. Μαρκογιαννάκης

Interesting fact about Album

Did you know? The album *Εκεί ψηλά* is a gem of Cretan music, released in 2005 by three legendary Greek artists: Ιωάννης Μαρκογιαννάκης, Ψαραντώνης, and Γιώργος Ξυλούρης. It’s packed with soulful tracks like *Περβολιανός συρτός* and *Ονειροδρόμιο*, all rooted in the traditional syrtos style. What makes it even cooler? The album was recorded by Γιάννης Ζαμπουλάκης and mixed by Nikos Kefaloyannis, giving it that perfect polished yet authentic sound. A true piece of Greek folk history!