The Bottom Line
I first was introduced to the music of some of the musicians of Hainides at midnight in a stables in the middle of the interior of Crete. It was an appropriately unusual space to encounter this intriguing group. That night, I was transported by the wild, edgy music filling the candlelit recesses of that stone-built stable. While the CDs are less raw than the mesmerizing live performances, the music still entwines the heart and soul and takes you captive for the length of the album.
Pros
- Traditional music but infused with a borderless sensibility
- Accompanying booklet gives lyrics in both Greek and English
- Group is made up of non-commercial outsiders beloved in Crete
- The theme is travel, both physical journeys and spiritual ones, ideal for the visitor to Greece
- Keep an eye out for occasional concerts in the U.S. and the rest of Europe
Cons
- Strict traditionalists may wince at some instruments and combinations
- Hard to find outside of Greece, but some on line specialty retailers offer their CDs
Description
- Listen through the album and enjoy the music; then take the time to read the vibrant lyrics.
- The group's name refers to Cretan freedom fighters who opposed the Ottoman occupation.
- Deviating from "traditional" music, they define their music as "world music".
- "Hainides" is sometimes spelled "Chainides" - search on both for best results.
- Chainides Home Page. In Greek only.
- Studio 52 Greek Music
- Lyra Music: Lyra Music
Guide Review - Chainides - Long Voyage
In the bilingual liner notes of "The Long Voyage", Dimitris Apostolakis, the main lyricist for the group, writes of what inspires the music of Hainides: "Our memories.... are full of images, fragrances, and flavours of a culture which has been tried and is shrinking, being unable to keep up with the rapid changes of the times. The only thing left for us to do is to express our truths, which we attempt to bring forth through this album... and defend them with our way of life." He also thanks "the South, the North, and the southwest winds; the sea, the olive-tree, the holm oak, and the furze; the cranes, the harrier eagle, and the orioles."
Listening to their music you will feel in touch with the wild deep heart of Crete, from the Minoan palaces, rocky shores, and unspoiled countryside to the teeming streets of Heraklion.
Whether your voyage to Crete is short or long, "The Long Voyage" is an excellent travel companion - quiet when it should be, vigorous when it needs to be, and never, ever boring.
