Album "Riza"

After the first CD “Simio” (2012), Ilias Zoutsos introduces his second discographic work entitled “Riza” (Root).
 
This album includes nine songs in traditional music and lyrics, which are still played and sung today in Crete, but their origin is lost back in centuries. The whole album was recorded live and is characterized by the innovation in melodic elaboration and orchestration, since using plain expressive means (two solo instruments and one voice) it directs and aims to the core of music. Apart from Ilias Zoutsos, who has arranged all the songs, and interprets on the Cretan lyra and the voice, Giannis Xylouris (Psarogiannis) co-operates and musically discusses with his lute and chooses -with this album- to come back in discography after many years of absence. Giannis Xylouris, who is Nikos Xilouris’ brother, is a living myth of cretan music and he carries the experience of a great generation of musicians who were already playing music when discography first appeared.
 
It's all about a sound scenery of a complete image that is old, nevertheless, in the modern affluent society it seems to be absolutely new at the same time. As the creator himself clarifies: “The title of the CD and the whole album in general came from a deep need and a phrase on which his mind has kept running for years: “Neither root nor blossom””.
 
The CD “Riza” is released in December 2013 by Antart Productions. The production is made by Ilias Zoutsos and the drawings by the painter-sculptor George Hatzakis.
 
 
YouTube: https://bit.ly/2SQmzaO
 
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2tTMNQJ 
 
iTunes/Apple Music: https://itun.es/gr/QMQ1kb
Deezer: https://bit.ly/2uNfzit
 
 
Additional info:
 
In the song “Paraponiaris” the music is traditional (Halepianos Manes) and by Giannis Xylouris (Psarogiannis), and in the song “Gia mia filia” the second mantinada (lyric) is by Yiannis Petrakis.
 
 
Recording: Vangelis Apostolou (Studio Vasmaris)
Mix: Ilias Zoutsos - Yiannis Paxevanis (Subway Studio)
Mastering: Yiannis Paxevanis - Vangelis Sapounas (Subway Studio)
Production: Ilias Zoutsos
Artistic Direction: Ilias Zoutsos