Ilias Choreftakis’ ‘Crazy Kings of Kissamos’: Defiant Cretan Jazz Fire at Vlatos 2020 скачать в хорошем качестве

Ilias Choreftakis’ ‘Crazy Kings of Kissamos’: Defiant Cretan Jazz Fire at Vlatos 2020

S03.E02 - This intimate 10-minute clip from Vlatos Jazz's YouTube channel captures a rare summer 2020 performance amid the early COVID haze—when live music was a defiant spark in Crete's olive-shadowed hills. Ilias Choreftakis, the violin-wielding troubadour of Kissamos lore, channels the island's wild spirit in "Crazy Kings of Kissamos," a rollicking original that skewers eccentric rulers with satirical bite and bluesy swagger. It's the kind of tune that sneaks up on you: starts as a sly folk whisper, then erupts into a jazz-fueled frenzy, evoking Frank Zappa meets Cretan mantinades. Featured on Vlatos Jazz's debut album Bows of Kissamos (recorded in the lockdown winter of 2021/22, but rooted in those pandemic-era sessions), this track immortalizes the venue's resilient soul. The Performance: Filmed in the 150-year-old stone church of Vlatos—a candlelit sanctuary with acoustics that hug every note like an old friend—Choreftakis commands the stage solo at first, his lyra (that pear-shaped Cretan fiddle) bowing out jagged, heartfelt lines over a foot-stomping rhythm. His voice? Gravelly gold, laced with wry humor as he croons of "kings gone mad on raki and riddles," painting Kissamos's quirky tyrants in vivid, laugh-out-loud strokes. Midway, subtle jazz infusions creep in: a hint of upright bass groove (layered in post?) and percussive hand-drumming that nods to global wanderers who've graced Vlatos. The camera work is pure poetry—close-ups on Choreftakis's sweat-glistened brow and flying bow, wide shots framing the arched ceilings and flickering flames—turning a simple set into cinematic therapy. Clocking in under restrictions, it's raw, unpolished joy: no crowd roar, just the music's electric pulse echoing off ancient walls. Why It Hits Hard: In 2020, when jazz clubs worldwide went dark (RIP to too many legends lost to COVID), Vlatos Jazz flipped the script—recording gems like this to keep the flame alive. Choreftakis isn't just playing; he's resurrecting Crete's defiant humor, blending traditional lyra fire with improvisational jazz edges that feel timeless yet urgent. The song's chaos—frenzied strings mimicking royal tantrums, a bridge that dissolves into atonal whimsy—mirrors the year's absurdity, leaving you grinning through the melancholy. Production-wise, it's lo-fi perfection: natural reverb from the church amps the intimacy, making you feel like you're there, mask optional, wine in hand. Final Verdict: 9/10 – A pandemic-era antidote that's equal parts catharsis and celebration. If Bows of Kissamos is Vlatos's lockdown love letter (stream it for the full arc), this video is its fiery trailer. Cretan jazz heads, hit play and subscribe to Vlatos Jazz on YouTube for more unearthed treasures—your playlist needs this unruly crown. #VlatosJazz #IliasChoreftakis #CretanRebels S03.E02 Cretan Fire: Ilias Choreftakis's 'Crazy Kings' Ignites Vlatos Jazz – Summer 2020 Magic!