The Musical Journey of a Lifetime

Two distinguished figures of Greek traditional music are brought to light in Vasso Kiou­si’s book: Nikos Saragoudas—among the first oud players in Greece—and his wife, Yasemi Kantartzoglou, who excelled in traditional singing.
Through interviews and rich archival material, the book explores the artists’ relationship with the world of folk music and offers an important testimony on the Greek panigyri (village festival) and its virtuoso musicians. It also gathers reflections and biographical notes from well-known musicians, making the volume a valuable reference for anyone studying traditional music.
Thanks to its clear presentation and the immediacy of its biographical approach, the publication addresses a broad readership—not exclusively specialists—while it is accompanied by two DVDs, featuring concert excerpts and “Makams and Taksims from the Oud of Nikos Saragoudas.”
Author: Vasso Kiou­si.