Imam Bialdi - The reviaval of Rebetiko

I have never attended the performance of Imam Bialdi, but I am convinced that their live performance is one of the best that one has seen.

The ensemble comprises 7 members, is active in Athens, and as of now has released three original albums and another album recorded live.

It's hard to find an equivalent to Imam Bialdi's music in the best sense of the word. I guess if I was cornered, I'd place them between Pink Martini and Manu Chao - a mix of Middle Eastern and Latino sounds, along with electronic rhythms and refined production.

The musical richness is great and the joy of playing comes from each arrangement and recording.

Although the ensemble has original pieces, I am more attracted to their musical arrangements of old Rebetiko classics that manage to revitalize performances from 70 years ago or more.

For example, the hit "O Pasatemos", written by Manolis Hiotis and performed by Luana Georgakopoulou in 1946.

O pasatempos - the original version

O pasatempos - new version by Imam Bialdi

And if you want to get a glance of their live performance capabilities, here, live with Mary Linda, who was the wife of Manolis Hiotis and a singer in her own right, performing Den Thelo Pia together.

Since their last album (2014), the band has not released any new studio albums and I have not been able to locate upcoming performances on the band's website. However, I found no indication that the band had broken up and I hope we will soon be surprised to discover a new album.