MARIOS TOKAS CONCERT - "Main Course"
CAMDEN CYPRIOT FESTIVAL 1991
(this was recorded at the Jazz Cafe)
An amazing musical evening -- within the context of 3 evenings of
"Music of the Eastern Mediterranean" held at Camden's Jazz Cafe, which
also featured Yeni Turku from Turkey, and Ross Daly with the
Vasilis Soukas Band from Greece -- this, the Cypriot musical
evening which was featured at London's Camden Town, was truly
historic.
Opening the evening, is a set by Martha and Eve (the artists
formerly known as Donna & Kebab) with their full jazz ensemble,
named 'Meze', perform many memorable songs including their own
rendition of Marios Tokas' song "Exartate" (which had always been
one of their favourite pieces in past performances) and a
song they wrote specifically for the Festival, "Kypros - Cyprus"
(See http://www.marthaandeve.co.uk for their latest information)
One of the 'core events' of the festival, this full concert by
Marios Tokas at the Jazz Cafe as a leading singer songwriter and
artist of great repute in Cyprus (who sadly died in April 2008)
and in Greece, where he composed music for many leading
performers ... this release of material from the 1991 concert is
made to honour his spirit, celebrate his memory, and commemorate
his life, on a weekend when a London concert is being staged in
Marios Tokas' memory, on 23rd November 2008.
In this concert Marios Tokas leads from his piano and also plays
his haromonica, supported by Andri Costandinou and Costas
HadjiChristodoulou.
In addition to being a musical 'tour-de-force' this concert is
historical in that this occasion was the first ever meeting
between Marios Tokas with the poet whose lyrics he had picked to
write music for, for a song which has become a second 'national
anthem' for people of Maronite, Armenian, Russian, Turkish, and
Greek as well as many others of CYPRIOT persuasion all over the world.
In addition to this being a recording of their first ever
meeting, the evening features a full recital of "My Country has
been divided in Two, which of the two should I love" by Nese
Yasin recited in Turkish, and the more commonly known 'refrain'
is sung by Andri Costandinou and Costas Hadji-Christodoulou and
ends with Marios Tokas and Nese Yasin singing together in both
Greek and Turkish lyrics .... and the audience, of Cypriots and
their friends, have been singing this song ever since!
Video archives from other events staged during the two week
Camden Cypriot Festival in 1991 are in process of being uploaded
during autumn 2008 to mark the current political initiative begun
by President Demetris Christofias, President of Cyprus to seek a
"Cyprus Solution by Cypriots for Cypriots".
Held during 23rd June to 7th July 1991, other events featured as
part of the Festival included:
(Links will be added to this page to video archive locations of other material, when available)
Festival Opening, Press Conference at Camden's Jazz Cafe.
"Fun Sunday in the Park" -- at Camden Square. Traditional music, dancing, childrens' play performance of "Turtles", Cypriot food, donkey rides, other activities.
Photographic Exhibition at the Crowndale Centre
Conference on Cypriots and the British Media, at Camden Town
Hall.
Conference on the Cultural Aspects of the Cyprus Problem, at
Camden Town Hall.
(Video available here)
Evening of poetry at Covent Garden's "Apples and Snakes".
Performance by a Turkish Cypriot Theatrical Group, Maras Emek, at
the Camden Centre.
Performance of a contemporary play by Peter Polycarpou, "Cypriot
Graffiti" , presented as a rehearsed reading at the Hampstead
Theatre.
Performance of Lysandros Pytharas' "Logoteknia" multimedia event,
at the Hampstead Theatre.
Film showing of "Detail in Cyprus" by Panikos Chrysanthou and
Niyazi Kizilyurek at Camden's Parkway Cinema.
An evening of choral signing by London's Byzantine Choir at Agios
Pantes Cathedral.
Three evenings of Eastern Mediterranean Music:
Martha and Eve of Donna and Kebab fame presenting their jazz band
"Meze", at the Jazz Cafe.
An evening of original music by Cypriot musician, composer and
performer "Marios Tokas", at the Jazz Cafe.
(Video available here)
Traditional and modern music by "Yeni Turku" group from Turkey,
at the Jazz Cafe.
An evening of traditional Greek and Middle Eastern music by "Ross
Daly" and the "Vassilis Soukas Band" from Greece, at the Jazz
Cafe.
Festival closing party at the Jazz Cafe, with poetry and music
performances.
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