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PAUL "PAVLOS" KAKOURIS
BOUZOUKI WORLD
408-799-7385
8262 POINT ARENA CT.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, USA 95828
pavlos@citlink.net
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THE NEW FORUM at BOUZOUKI WORLD
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Welcome to the New Forum at Bouzouki World! Here you can converse with your fellow bouzouki enthusiasts from all over the world. Share your thoughts about bouzoukia, music theory, musicians, luthiers, electronic equipment and memorable experiences. All we ask is that you follow a few simple courtesies. Please see the posting entitled ETHICS & RULES!
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Subject varlas v zosef
Date
Sat Feb 14 2004 02:31
Author makis
(fotiamusic@hotmail.com)
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Mario... I like that question... Zozef, simply the best, or best of his time? I've seen a handful of Zozefs over the last 30 years, a couple, absolutely great bouzoukia... a few others...ehh!
First, you must differentiate between a real Zozef, and a bouzouki with a Zozef label. The real Zozefs were stamped in the back of the headstock and at the bottom of the bowls. The other "Zozefs" were usually made by apprentices or other luthiers. Since Zozef, himself, could only make a limited amount of bouzoukia per year, he needed other instruments to sell in his shop. Many of these instruments weren't bad, but they certainly didn't have his masterful touch. But since Zozef sold these in his shop, he placed his label inside the bowl. And I'm sure that this label added a bit of extra zing to the price tag. I owned a label Zozef... it was OK, but it was nothing special. I don't miss it at all.
Alex Galas owns a fantastic Zozef... it plays beautifully and it has "the" Zozef sound. I also played one owned by Lakis Balis that was exceptional. Other than that, the others that I played just didn't move me all that much.
Certainly, Zozef produced a number of special bouzoukia that would make him the best of his time. But, I've played some instruments by Onnik Tsakirian and Panayis that I thought were equally excellent in their own way. Personal preference still comes into play.
Tsitsanis and Papaioannou both played Zozefs. I know that Thanasis Polykandriotis has a classic Zozef and we've all heard "that" sound. I'm also sure that Bithikotsis has one too. Ioannis Moraitis has also played a classic Zozef for years and to the best of my knowledge, both Zafiriou and Zambetas mainly played Zozefs.
Who has been playing other bouzoukia? Manolis Hiotis almost exclusively played Panayis... although I've seen an occasional photo with a Tsakirian or Zozef. Yannis Tatasopoulos played Panayis for years and in later years switched to an Onnik Tsakirian. Sporos used to play Panayis and then later alternated between Zozef and Tsakirian instruments. Kostas Papadopoulos played mostly Panayis and then switched to Kleftoyiannis. I sometimes wonder if there's a bouzouki maker alive who hasn't claimed to have made a bouzouki for Nikolopoulos! LOL!... but I do know that somewhere along the line he has been playing a Barlas. Manolis Karantinis supposedly has a few instruments to choose from, but he's been known to play instruments from Karandreas and more recently, Sakis! Nikos Tatasopoulos has played a variety of instruments, including Tsakirian, Kleftoyiannis, Tsolis, Koggas and Panayis. Takis Elenis has gone from Zozefs, to Tsakirians and currently he's playing a Kalkepsos. Theodoros Kambouridis is playing a Kalkepsos and last, but hardly least, Yiannis Paliologou plays a Kalkepsos.
So certainly, there are a number of top players who appear to be content making great music on bouzoukia by other luthiers. And it also seems that Zozef made a number of desirable instruments, that if you can get your hands on a good one and then have it cleaned and tweaked, you'll have a special bouzouki on your hands... but I'm certainly not waiting or jonesing for one.
Right now, I have a Kleftoyiannis that I'm very pleased with, a Yiannoulo that I'll put up against anything and my Number 3, which is a no-name bouzouki that has been completely restored and tweaked by Lou Skoby... I will never, ever consider selling this one! I also have a prize Panayis trifono from about 1959 which has a fantastic tone.
And finally, as I was typing this mini-novel, Nikolopoulos was on Mega... playing some great lines on his Barlas! But my favorite line from him during the interview?... "Bouzouksis pou leme..."!!!
it's really great to see so many of you back on the forum... may you all have the bouzouki of your dreams!
-makis
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