Dimitris Vasilakis performing with his saxophone and at the piano Nikolas Anadolis
International acclaimed saxophonist Dimitri N. Vassilakis outperformed any previous event of its kind at a full house in London Hellenic Centre’s Great Hall!
The event, part of the EFG London Jazz Festival – 13 to 22 November 2015, except the live performance, included some talk between Vassilakis and the international audience, where he explained how jazz functions as a universal language and can teach us ways to communicate in a more humane, democratic and creative way. Moreover he explained the origins of Jazz as an African-American art form which has become global and embraces the broad democratic values, first established in ancient Greece.
After a short introduction, together with the up and coming young Nikolas Anadolis from Thessaloniki, Northern Greece, on the Hellenic Centre’s piano (“and what a piano, very good, almost unique!” exclaimed Vassilakis), they performed “Summertime.” Viewers can watch the live video of this one at the end of this story.
They continued with the “Blue Orleans” , then the unique “Recorda Me” by Joe Henderson, the “Blue Bossa” – an excellent Bossa Nova, and the finale, following the audience’s “demand” was the Greek song “Hartino to Fegaraki “(Little Moon made of paper*). An …extra finale was yet another sea-wise song written by Vassilakis himself, the “Aegean Samba”.
A view of the audience
For us in the shipping industry jazz is and continues to be one of the most preferred music genres, and you can see this during your sea-wise holidays on board the world’s most desired-to-be international cruise-ships! Add the annual “Waverly” September short-cruise from Tower Bridge down to the Thames Barrier where at the poop there is always a jazz-band…
It was good to see old friends and meet new ones too. Professor Rigas Doganis with his wife Sally and their grandson(!), Maria Agrafiotou, Mary Theodoridou, former vice-president of the Hellenic Society of Scientists and Professionals in Great Britain with her husband Andreas, Stavroula Xanthakou Andreas Koutras – supporter and contributor of allaboutshipping with his partner Eleni, The Cyprus Tourist Organisation in London Director Orestis Rossides, the former Press Councillor of the Cyprus High Commission and Mrs. Soteris Georgallis and many others including officials from the Greek Embassy in London – Mrs. Eleni Papagiannopoulou from the Education office. Met the Wicks too with Anna Wicks from ATHENA being one of the event’s sponsors.
The Centre’s Director Mrs. Agatha Kalisperas was present as well as Mrs. Sophie Kydoniefs Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Hellenic Centre, with member Irene Monios, the events manager Christina Vagiati and the Language and Cultural Events manager Evangelia Roussou were present too. The event was organised by the Hellenic Centre.
A great event for all Greeks at it coincides with the 42nd anniversary of the Athens Polytechnic events of 1973, the major social upheaval which led to the fall of the then regime…
*- words1 by the late Nikos Gatsos, music by the late Manos Hadjidakis, firstly performed by Nana Mouchouri
1 The sea will carry birds
and golden stars, the breeze
that they may caress your hair
kiss your hand
Little Moon of paper
mendacious sea-shore
if you believed me a little bit
all would be true
without your love
time passes by quickly
without your love
the world is smaller
Little moon of paper
mendacious sea-shore
if you believed me a little bit
all would be true
