Smyrneiko is the Greek song from Asia Minor, which flourished in the early 1900’s. In itself a unique mix of Eastern and European music, Smyrneiko mainly includes violin, oud, sandouri and saz bands. The singers’ elaborate style is based on arab-persian scales (macam). They often perform the amanes, a slow and mournful song, based on extremely elaborate vocal improvisations.

• SOUSTA (Sousta Dance) 2:50, Istanbul 1930
  (solo harmonika : Yiangos Psamatianos, kübüs, percussion)
• HEDZAZ MANES (Manes Song in the Hedjaz mode) 3:06, Smyrna 1907
  (man singer: Yiorgos Tsanakas, violin, tsebalo)
• MANAMEN ZEIBEK (Zeimbekikos Dance from the Menemen area) 3:06, 1910-11
  (man singer: Eleftherrios Menemenlis, violins, oud, mandolin by the Smyrna Estudiantina)
• TSIFTETELLI (Tsifteteli Dance) 2:45, Smyrna, around 1909
  (double stringed violin, pondiaki lyra, tsembalo, possibly by the Smyrna Estudiantina)
• RAST GAZEL (Gazel/Amanes Song in the Rast Mode)2:50, 1913
  (man singer: Yiorgos Tsanakas, harmonika, guitar)
• VOURNOVALIA (Girl from the Bournovalio Area) 2:46, Smyrna 1909
  (violin, tsembalo, choir by the Greek Estudiantina)
• MELACHRINO (Brunette) 3:00, possibly Smyrna, around 1910
  (man singer: Yiorgos Tsanakas, violin, mandolins, tsembalo, choir by the Greek Estudiantina)
• DZIVAERI (Jewel) 3:55, around 1910
  (man singer: Yiorgos Tsanakas, violin: Yiangos Alexiou a.k.a. Yiovanikas, The Smyrna Estudiantina)
• ANDRIANNA (The Girl named Andrianna) 2:55, Istanbul 1910
  (mandolins, tsembalo, recorder by the Greek Estudiantina)
• ELENAKI (The Girl named Elenaki) 2:50, Smyrna 1910
  (man singers: Eleftherios Menemenlis and, possibly Yiorgos Tsanakas, mandolin, tsembalo, violin)
• TO YIASOUMI (Jasmine) 2:50, Istanbul 1910
  (man singer and harmonica: Yiangos Psamatianos, kübüs)
• AH MELACHRINO (Oh Brunette) 2:48, Smyrna 1911
  (man singer: Eleftherios Menemenlis, violin, tsembalo)
• TAMBAHANIOTIKOS MANES (Manes Song from the Tambahani Area) 3:28, 1911
  (man singer: Yiorgos Tsanakas, violin, tsembalo, cello)
• ADAM AMAN 3:00
  (man singer: Yiorgos Tsanakas, violin: Yiangos Alexiou a.k.a. Yiovanikas, tsembalo)
• THALASSA (Sea) 3:08, Istanbul 1911
  (man singer: Eleftherios Menemenlis, violin, guitar, mandolin)
• TSOPANAKOS IMOUNA (I Was A Young Shepherd) 2:53, 1910
  (recorder, mandolins, animal growls, percussion)
• EMVATIRIO SMYRNIS (March From Smyrna) 2:57, Smyrna around 1919
  (march band)

When Asia Minor Greeks emigrated to Greece, Smyrneiko evolved into the Rembetiko style, which is nothing less than the core of Greek popular music, that being a group with bouzouki, baglamas, guitar and one or more singers. Moving lyrics picture the life of a marginal social group.

• BEIKOS (Beikos Dance) 3:35, Athens 1935
  (band: Ta Politakia, mandolin: Spyros Peristeris)
• TO VENIZELO HASAME (Venizelos Is Gone) 3:12, Athens 1936
  (man singer: Stellakis Perpiniadis, guitar: Kostas Karypis)
• MANES KARIP HEDZAZ (Manes Song in the Karip Hedjaz Mode) 3:18, Athens 1935-36
  (woman singer: Rita Ambatzi, violin: Dimitris Semsis a.k.a. Salonikios, oud: Agapios Tomboulis)
• YIAMO 3:17, Athens 1934
  (woman singer & zilia: Roza Eskenazy, kemenzes: Lambros Liondaridis, oud: Agapios Tomboulis)
• DERVISSIKOS HOROS (Dervish Dance), 1930
  (oud & man singer: Agapios Tomboulis, kemenzes: Lambros Liondaridis)
• KATIFES 3:20, 1931-32
  (woman singer & zilia: Roza Eskenazy, kemenze: Lambros Liondaridis, oud: Agapios Tomboulis)
• FERENZE (Muslim Woman’s Veil) 3:21, Athens 1933
  (woman singer: Rita Ambatzi, violin: Dimitris Semsis a.k.a. Salonikios, oud: Agapios Tomboulis, guitar)
• I BABESSA (Dishonest Girl) 3:16, Athens 1933
  (woman singer & zilia: Roza Eskenazy, violin: Dimitris Semsis a.k.a. Salonikios, oud: Agapios Tomboulis, guitar)
• XANTHI EVREOPOULA (Blonde Jewish Girl) 3:11, Athens 1934
  (woman singer: Rita Ambatzi, violin: Dimitris Semsis a.k.a. Salonikios, oud: Agapios Tomboulis, guitar)
• GALATA MANES (Manes Song from the Galatas area) 2:56, 1930
  (man singer: Konstandinos Nouros, violin, guitar, sandouri)
• BOURNOVALIO (Bournovalio area) 4:07, Athens 1937
  (violin: Ogdondakis, sandouri: Dimitris Kallinikos a.k.a. Arapakis)
• I GARSONA (The Waitress) 3:20, Athens 1936
  (woman singer: Roza Eskenazy, violin: Dimitris Semsis a.k.a. Salonikios, kübüs: Agapios Tomboulis, guitar, mandolin)
• O VORONOF (The Doctor Named Voronof) 3:10, Athens 1934
  (woman singer & zilia: Roza Eskenazy, violin: Dimitris Semsis a.k.a. Salonikios, Kanonaki: Lambros Savaidis, oud: Agapios Tomboulis)
• ZOULA I MARYIORI (They Stole Our Hash) 3:25, Athens 1934
  (man singer: Stellakis Perpiniadis)
• ZEIMBEKIKO POLITIKO (Zeimbekikos Dance from Istanbul) 3:11, Athens 1928
  (man singer: Andonis Dalgas, accorduion: A. Amiralis a.k.a. Papatzis, guitar, sandouri)
• DERVISSIS KAI RITA (Rita and the Dervish) 3:10, Athens 1934
  (man & woman singers: Dimitris Atraidis & Rita Ambatzi, guitar: probably Kostas Karypis, oud)
• NEO MANAVAKI (Young Greengrocer) 3:08, Athens 1933
  (woman singer: Roza Eskenazy, violin guitar, oud)
• SOUSTA POLITIKI (Sousta Dance from Istanbul) 3:16, Athens 1933
  (man singer: Andonis Dalgas, accordion A. Amiralis a.k.a. Papatzis, guitar, sandouri)
• TSIFTETELI (Tsifteteli Dance) 3:10, Athens 1935
  (oriental band : violin: Dimitris Semsis a.k.a. Salonikios, oud: Agapios Tomboulis, kemenzes: L. Savaidis, zilia: Roza Eskenazy)
• TO KANARINI (The Canary) 3:11, Athens 1934
  (woman singer & zilia: Roza Eskenazy, violin: Dimitris Semsis a.k.a. Salonikios, kanonaki: Lambros Savaidis, oud: Agapios Tomboulis)

Several musicians emigrated to the US (mainly New York), where they played in night clubs and released albums in major record companies (Columbia, Victor, a.o.). Living among their compatriots, they preserved the Asia Minor tradition and enriched it by borrowing elements from popular styles of the time, thus creating a sound essentially different from Smyrna’s, Istanbul’s and Athens’ recordings.

• ELLI (The Girl named Elli) 2:44, New York 1939
  (clarinet : Gus Gadinis)
• FERAHNAK MANES (Manes Song in the Ferahnak Mode) 4:15, NY 1926
  (man singer: Achilles Poulos, kanonaki)
• TI SE MELI ESENANE (What Do You Care) 3:49, NY 1926
  (woman singer, castanets: Marika Papagika, sandouri: Kostas Papagikas, cello: Mihalis Sifnios, violin: Athanassios Makedonas)
• TA PAIDIA TIS GEITONIAS SOU (Children In Your Neighborhood) 3:58, NY 1926
  (woman singer, castanets: Marika Papagika, sandouri: Kostas Papagikas, cello: Mihalis Sifnios, violin:Alexis Zoumbas)
• TOURNENE 4:31, NY 1928
  (man singer: Takis Nikolaou, a.k.a. Tetos Dimitriadis)
• OI BAGLAMADES (The Baglamades) 3:25, NY 1919
  (woman singer: Kyria Koula)
• YIAF YIOUF 3:20, NY 1926
  (man singer: Tetos Dimitriadis)
• GEL GEL 4:01, NY 1927
  (woman singer, castanets: Marika Papagika, sandouri: Kostas Papagikas, cello: Mihalis Sifnios, violin: Evagelos Andrias, a.k.a. Naftis – the sailor)
• BRAILA (The Braila Area) 4:02, NY 1928
  (same as track 8)
• OUSHAK ZEIMBEKIKO (Zeimbekiko Dance in the Oushak mode) 4:02, NY 1927
  (man singer: Leonidas Smyrnaios, violin, oud, sandouri)

• ERGATIS TIMIMENOS (Worthy Worker) 3:52, NY 1935
  (man singer, guitar : Kostas – Gus Doussias)
• VASILISSA (Queen) 4:16, 1931
  (same as track 12)
• YIANNAROS (Big Yiannis/John) 3:55, NY 1931
  (man singer: H. Pyrris)
• MISIRLOU (Girl from Misiri/Egypt) 4:16, NY 1931
  (man singer: Michalis Patrinos)
• ESKOUTARI (The Skoutari Area) 3:05, NY 1950-55
  (woman singer: Virginia Maggidou, a.k.a. Smyrnia, violin: A. Loris)
• GIATI DE MAS TO LES (Why Won’t You Say So?) 4:44, NY 1938
  (guitar, man singer: Yiorgos Katsaros)
• POU PAS MEMETI MOU (Where Are You Going Memetis?) 2:55, NY 1945-50
  (same as track 16)
• EGO GIA SENA XENYHTO (I Stay Awake At Noght For You) 3:04, NY 1938
  (same as tracks 16, 17)
• ISTANBUL 2:50, NY 1939
  (clarinet: Kostas – Gus Gadinis)
• I DOUDOU (The Girl called Doudou)3:02, NY 1950-55
  (man singer, cretan lyra: Charilaos o Kritikos – Charilaos from Crete)
• AMAN YIAMA YALELELI 2:36, NY 1950-55
  (woman singer: Roza Eskenazy, violin: Dimitris Manisalis)