Return To Our Roots

Released : 2006  |   Label : American Recording Productions  |   Length : 49' 25''

Genres :  Traditional music

Instruments :  Clarinet - Oboe - Tárogató - Nagaswaram | Cimbalom - Santur - Yangqin

"Return To Our Roots" is dedicated to the re-introduction and preservation of Greek folk dances and melodies. Future generations are being deprived of the opportunity to enjoy first-hand the performing styles of great Greek folk clarinet virtuosi from the 1920s and 1930s. Jim Dimitri Stoynoff's desire to reverse this situation became the inspiration and motivation to undertake this project. For the recording, he was fortunate to obtain and perform on the antique clarinet used in several of the original 78 rpm discs by the great Kostas Karagiannis (1887-1957). Similarly, melodic accompaniment was also provided by John Roussos who performs brillantly on another vintage instrument, a santouri built in Smyrna, Asia Minor circa 1895.