Imam Baildi is the first young Greek band that has managed to bring Greek music from the 40s, 50s and 60s to an audience around the world. Their music is based on remixing songs by legendary composers and singers, as well as combining them with new sounds and production techniques to make them contemporary.

As Criteria Entertainment brings the Sounds of Greece to SXSW for the first time with backing from leading green products company Earth Friendly Products and En Lefko radio, Imam Baildi is one of the acts selected to perform in Austin.

Initially formed by brothers Lysandros and Orestis Falireas, Imam Baildi expanded to include other members over the course of a few years. Since 2007, the band has released two albums that have been very succesful in Greece and received wide critical acclaim in Europe – both albums were in the top 10 on the European World Music Charts in 2009 and 2011.

We spoke to Lysandros about the band’s music as well as their first ever upcoming show in the U.S. at SXSW.

What inspires your music?

It’s really hard to define, but as we work mainly with old tunes, what inspires us is the fact that something composed 50 or more years ago manages to touch us still. Sometimes it’s the lyrics, sometimes it’s a melody or just the sound of these recordings that’s very moving, and we’ve seen it’s not just us, but also all the people who like our music. We’ve grown so accustomed to this way of working that even when we work on our compositions, we regard them as something written by someone else, and us as the guys who have to change it. When we come up with our own ideas for our tracks, we just let them sit for a month or so and then change them into something different just as we would do for a remix.

What can people expect from your performance at SxSW?

They can expect our best! It will be a very danceable show, especially since it’s only 40 minutes. We’ll be playing our finest and most danceable tracks. When making the tracks, we work more as producers and less as a band, meaning we let each track take its own course, and that’s why we incorporate many different styles. This is also true for our live performances. In SXSW, we’ll play several remixes from old Greek tunes, some of them have more hip-hop elements, some latin, some more electro, and also some Balkan music, which is also part of our shows. Our horn players come from Northern Greece, and they were playing these tunes in weddings and fairs ever since they were old enough to hold an instrument. It’s gonna be a band of six – drums, percussion, dj & bass, bouzouki, guitar, sax, 7 clarinette. Our singer, Rena, is infatuated with old-style singing, and our MC was born in Greece but has roots in Santo Domingo so he mixes all the vocal finesse of the Caribbean with the Greek elements. We’re preparing a massive sounding act, no time for relaxing parts in a 40 minute show, with lots of different styles that all have a common flavor, that of the old Greek recordings.

What does it mean for you to be able to perform at the music festival?

It means everything. Not only is it the first time we play in the States, but also probably the largest festival we’ve attended so far. We’ve performed in major European Festivals, such as Roskilde, Sziget or Lowlands, but they all seem miniscule compared to SXSW. It’s really a lifetime chance for us, and the feedback we have so far is very encouraging. Seems like people there are really going to enjoy it.

You have a Kickstarter to help with funding. How important is that for musicians like yourself?

Browsing Kickstarter and seeing all these great projects is great, we knew that already, but having your own project up there is something else! It’s not just about fundraising, but also very much about reaching out to people in a very direct and personal way. Just imagine waking up one morning, checking your email and seeing people you would never have known engaged to what you’re doing. Simply amazing. Also, the project guidelines oblige you to present your work in a very sincere and concise way. We’ve been trying to do it for 5 years now, and it just came out very natural when we made the Kickstarter video. We feel like we managed to say it all in just three minutes.

To get more on Imam Baildi, visit facebook.com/imambaildi, and their Kickstarter page.

Greek Reporter is an official Media Sponsor of “Sounds of Greece” at SxSW. Click HERE to visit our page dedicated to the initiative.

According to an e-Kirikas report, the relevant decision was unanimously taken during the 68^th Convention of the Association which took recently place in Myrtle Beach, S. Carolina, after the proposal of the Mayor of Karpenissi Mr. Kostas Bakoyiannis.

“Stand by us by giving us new ideas, useful knowledge and experiences that will prove beneficial for our land. Stand by us and the projects that have already begun in Karpenissi as well as in launching the best image of Evrytania abroad,” underscored Mr. Bakoyiannis among others. He additionally encouraged the Greek Diaspora to not fear investing their money in the Greek prefecture besides their charity works.

The Mayor was honored by the president of the Association Mr. Ioannis Peslis with a special award in recognition and appreciation of his contribution in promoting the Municipality of Karpenissi and Evrytania. Mr. Peslis assured that the Association will stay true to its commitments of continuing its charity work despite the many challenges.

Since its establishment in 1994, the Association has been supporting the Greek hometown through various charity and educational programs running both in the US and Greece. Within the framework of the Convention the Association presented this year’s scholarships to 15 Evrytanian students, worth $22,400.

The 69^th Annual Convention of the Association will take place next year in Roanoke, Virginia.

From the Artist:

“I always paint with my imagination. I am never quite sure when I begin a painting how it will end. People often ask me when I know I am done, it is just an instinct. I paint feverishly, feeling each movement and step away to feel my results. The art work is complete when I have nothing left to say and can happen in an instant. I love to paint to music and apply the paint in rhythm to what I am hearing. I work with all my senses. I am inspired by the simplest things and rarely have artists block. Color excites and inspires me!  I love to transform the images in my head to paper, canvas or other surfaces.

This body of work explores my fascination with color, spatial composition and incorporates the use of recycled materials. I especially love the juxtaposition of elements both natural and man-made. I find that using both reflective and non-reflective materials create interest. I have various techniques of application but never limit myself to specific tools or materials. I hope that my work will leave you feeling an emotion and as I share my imagination with you, I hope you will let your own imagination take you away!”

A native Washingtonian, Nia Tavlarides Stratos’s natural artistic ability was evident in her youth.  She was awarded a scholarship to The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, where her work was exhibited. Burlington Industries purchased her paintings to be used in textile design. She completed her undergraduate degree at The University of Maryland, where she participated in juried shows for painting and jewelry design. Nia designed her own line of jewelry, Evyenia Designs, with collections sold to boutiques and department stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdales. She later became a partner in a Washington based advertising agency where her work garnered both regional and national awards.

Nia has also participated in successful solo shows in galleries and venues, such as The Ritz Carlton. She is a published fine artist, whose work is held in both private and corporate collections, including VISA Card Corporation.

Her mastered use of color includes palettes that range from harmonious, muted, conceptualizations to bold, iconoclastic expressions. She explores a rich synthesis of pattern and spatial composition, through various media and assemblage. Nia feels each composition is a mosaic of elements demanding amalgamation.  Every work of art provides a thoughtful vehicle to interpret texture and dimension and is an examination of color and style through the use of various media.

To see the collective works of Nia Tavlarides Stratos, visit www.niastratosart.com

Address: Hylton Performing Arts Center at George Mason University,10900 University Blvd., Manassas, VA 20110 * Across from Jiffy Lube Live/Nissan Pavilion

For more information, visit www.hyltoncenter.org or call  703.993.7550

The biggest buzz coming out of the Interactive portion of the conference was probably for “Highlights”, an iOS-based application that brings people together, based on their location and info from Facebook profile. This app let’s you know which of your friends or friend’s of friends are around the area or in the same place you are. In essence it is a very cool tool, if you can get past the privacy implications of being all the time in other people’s radars. It can certainly enhance someone’s dating life; as well as invade your personal space it the privacy settings are not improved.

Featured as a must for most attendees on the Film side was “Bernie”, a comedic crime drama that showcases the human and idiosyncratic elements of society. Based on a true story, “Bernie” centers on Bernhardt “Bernie” Tiede (Jack Black), a beloved local mortician with people skills to spare, who kills a local widow and then spends months trying to cover up her murder by pretending she’s had a minor stroke. When found out, the whole town rallies to Bernie’s defense. Not necessarily a cinematographer’s opus, this film provides a witty, lighthearted and entertaining moment to the viewer.

Highlights from the SXSW Music Conference portion included new band “Alabama Shakes”, a fiery quintet playing country-soul, ”Bruce Springsteen” as a key note speaker, Nacional Records‘ first showcase with some of the most buzzed about artists at the Festival (“Monsieur Perime”, “Astro” and “La Vida Boheme” ), first timers to the festival “Telebit” (Colombia) and “Vetusta Morla” (Spain); as well as the unforgettable performances by ”Lila Downs” , ”Jot Dog” and “Bomba Estereo”.

Austin is an amazing and vibrant city , also the home to some of the best all beed hot dogs in the world!…A great host to this conference and all it’s attendees.
The Interactive portion ran from March 9 to 13, the Film portion runs from March 9 to 17 and the Music portion runs from March 13 to 18.
Long lines, rain, sore feet, the truth is that we can’t wait until SxSW 2013….see ya then Austin!

According to prosecutors, crew members of the Agios Emilianos, a 738-foot cargo ship that carried grain from New Orleans to ports across the world, have repeatedly discharged oil waste into the sea and falsified documents to cover up the pollution from April 2009 to April 2011.

The Greek company was fined, therefore, to pay a $2 million criminal penalty for violating a federal pollution law and obstruction of justice.

The ship’s master, Valentino Mislang, and chief engineer, Romulo Esperas, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges.

According to MarineLog, the master of the cargo ship, Valentino Mislang, and the chief engineer, Romulo Esperas had both previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges, including destroying computer evidence and instructing crew members to lie during a Coast Guard inspection in April 2011, and falsifying the oil record book and directing the oil waste directly into the sea respectively.

Both men revealed that a senior manager of Ilios had directed them to do so.

Can you sense the sarcasm in my voice? Don’t get me wrong I have lived the whole “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” story with my father working at four different Greek diners and my mother telling me every day of my life to find “a nice Greek boy to marry.” But I don’t think, I can say that every Greek-American reading this believes the same thing, that this is not the way to promote Greece. The person responsible for this brilliant idea is the deputy minister of tourism and culture Mr. George Nikitiadis. His idea goes as follows, to grab a bunch of Greek artists put their work on these placemats, which as well know that these very same placemats get crumbled, doodle and wipe off everybody’s spills and leftover food daily. The sad part is not just the idea but that commercial sponsors from Greece, like ΟΠΑΠ and the restaurant association are giving money for this idea to blossom and come alive.

About 6 million euro’s are being given for 7 million throwaway placemats to be printed and distributed to diners across America. It doesn’t end here also plastic throwaway cups are going to be given to the customers of these diners as well. What happened to posters, art exhibits with various Greek or Greek-American artists, concerts and dance festivals to raise money to promote Greece? You can just shoot a commercial in Astoria, Queens in New York City and you have your promotion right there.

I might be the only one angry and annoyed about this “awesome”, “brilliant”, “extraordinary”, and “wonderful” tourism idea but I believe Greece deserves better than throwaway placemats and plastic cups, especially in the times that we are in now.

The tradition of the Greek Festival is a celebration of the Greek culture and an educational event as well. However, the parish is formed by more than just one ethnic background including Russian, Ukrainian and Spanish.

Father Stelios Sitaras, who has been leading the Church for the past 11 years, will lead tours of the church and will be welcoming questions on the Greek Orthodox faith.What started decades ago as a small bake sale, has grown to a key church fundraiser. Proceeds from the festival will help fund a local, national and international ministry.

“The Greek Festival is our parish’s opportunity to display our cultural and spiritual warmth with the Corpus Christi area,” Father Sitaras said.

The 2011 Greek Festival is November 4, 5 & 6, 2011 at 502 S. Chaparral St. , Corpus Christi , TX.

Admission is free to everyone.

Friday, November 4- 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Saturday, November 5- 12:00 noon to 11:00 p.m.

Sunday, November 6- 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m.

Mediterranean cuisine will be served including souvlaki, moussaka, pastitsio, gyros, kalamari, roast lamb, salads, cheeses, and bread.

Desserts will include loukoumades (honey-dipped doughnut holes made fresh as you wait, baklava and cookies).

The marketplace will feature gift items such as jewelry and art; Greek food products; souvenirs; Greek music CDs; and clothing such as pashmina shawls.

Children, dressed in authentic Greek costumes, will perform traditional Hellenic folk dances.

The loukoumades eating contest is new this year. Door prizes will be offered.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit the West Valley Child Crisis Center.

The drama department will present “The Iliad, The Odyssey, and All of Greek Mythology, in 99 Minutes or Less,” Thursday through Saturday.

The production is truly hilarious. It is very fast-paced and full of jokes that appeal to both those who know the mythology and those who don’t. In fact, for those who are unfamiliar with the subject, it serves as a painless introduction to Greek mythology and Homer’s epic poems.

The cast has been quite busy, with 24 actors filling 135 roles. While the production originally called for five actors, it was expanded to include everyone interested in appearing on stage.

“Everyone gets the jokes and we are all working together to help each other through what is a very involved show. Our biggest challenge is coming to terms with the number of characters. The entrances, exits and character changes are complex. Who needs to be on stage and when do they have to be there has been our biggest struggle so far. We are working in a broad presentational style,” Paul Miller, drama sponsor at Johnston High School stated.

One woman from Austin, Texas is bringing theater to many schools to bring Greek Mythology to life.

Judy Matetzschk-Cambell is the founder and Artistic Director of Pollyanna Theater Company.  Julie Linnard is a principal actor in the company. They joined the KVUE virtual channel in the studio Tuesday morning to describe how their company is helping education.