Live album under production

A year after their lates release Imam Baildi have announced the production of a

live album. Scheduled to be released in Greece in early 2016, the album will

include live versions of tracks from all three studio albums, along with several

tracks that have only been performed live – until now.

Imam Baildi at the EXPO2015 Milan

Imam Baildi were selected by the Greek National Tourism Organization as the

main act to perform in the Greek Pavilion. EXPO 2015, held in Milan, Italy for

2015 is the latest edition of the Universal Exposition, the largest commercial fair

globally, with 145 participating countries. The band performed on October 21 in

the stage of the Mediterranean countries section in front of an international

audience.

Shantel & Imam Baildi collaboration

The godfather of the entrance of Balkan music in clubs all around the world,

Shantel, invites Imam Baildi to produce two collaboration tracks, in his latest

album, Viva Diaspora. Produced between Athens and Frankfurt, ‘The Streets

Where The Kids Have Fun’ and ‘Acid Greeks’ are a crossover between Imam

Baildi’s vintage Greek sound and Shantel’s unique production style.

‘Imam Baildi – III’ US Release – End Records

Imam Baildi’s latest studio work has found its way into the US market. Released

in June 2015 by the NYC – based indie label The End Records, Imam Baildi – III

is a bold crossover ranging from the Morricone-inspired ‘The Rider’, to the cha-

cha meets mariachi flavor of ‘Argosvinis Moni’  and the nostalgic dub ballad

‘Simioma’, an original composition by Imam Baildi. The album has already drawn

critic’s attention (Slug Magazine), and the band is readying for their next trip to

the US. Stay tuned.

Amsterdam, Luxembourg, Rotterdam, get ready for next May. We will be there and with a lot of new stuff for you very special people. For now, a merry merry Christmas to everyone with tons of love and compassion.

Review: Imam Baildi – III

Imam Baildi
///
Kukin Music
Street: 06.16
Imam Baildi = Thanasis Papkonstantinou + Ozomatli + Napalma

In a country making headlines with crippling debt and riots against mandated austerity, Greece isn’t exactly the country I’m expecting to be putting out some of the most upbeat, wordly mash-ups I’ve heard this year. Imam Baildi, an Athenian group, keeps traditional Greek music close to their heart. Many of the compositions on this album feature the bouzouki—the traditional, stringed Greek instrument played with pride by Greek national heroes—played at virtuoso level of precision and technicality. Traditional music on III, however, is given a refreshingly 21st Centry twist as hip-hop percussion, passionate vocals, electronic guitars and ’70s jazz-funk horns punctuate each track. The result is a brilliant easing into Greek traditional music from eight of the country’s smiling-est ambassadors. –Ryan Hall

slugmag.com

Imam Baildi played the International Day Stage at the Austin Convention Center. Photo: Esther Merono

How did you hear about the band?
This is another band I came across through NPR’s Austin 100. I was immediately drawn in by their “fusion” sound: a mix between traditional Greek music, which sounds a little bit like samba, Flamenco and Arabic pop jumbled together, hip hop and a ’60s Bollywood musical. They actually successfully funded their SXSW trip, and first shows in the U.S. through a Kickstarter campaign! I’m really glad they made it out, because it was one of my favorites of the festival, and a nice breath of fresh air after all the indie/electronic/chillwave bands I was seeing.

How was their stage presence?
Oh, these guys are professionals. If there’s one thing I’ve noticed about the international bands, namely from Europe, that attend the festival, they are NOT shy. Imam Baildi’s absolutely stunning vocalist, Rena Morfi, in the second best outfit I’d seen on stage all week (first prize goes to Seye of The Very Best, of course) waved her arms around and shook her hips to the bazouki (the bazooka is a traditional Greek instrument that looks like a mandolin and sounds similar to a classical Spanish guitar) player’s lightning fast solos. I was absolutely mesmerized by the Greek goddess (Nick Cave is rumored to have been present in the crowd, probably staring just as hard at Rena as I was), but they were more than a babe-alicious front woman. They were clean, energetic, talented and natural-born performers. I just read on their Facebook page that they’re hoping to return next year and possibly do a U.S. tour, so make sure to follow up so you don’t miss out on Imam Baildi if they ever return.

What was the crowd’s reaction?
I really don’t understand why they set up chairs in front of the stage at some of these venues, because about 90% of the music out there is hip-shaking worthy, which is hard to do without looking like you need a pee break when you’re sitting down. The seated audience was small, camped in front of the small stage that was in the corner of a big lecture hall at the Convention Center, and though we were all clapping and tapping our feet, that wasn’t enough for Imam Baildi. After announcing their last couple of songs, but having technical difficulties with the sax, the drummer jumped out front and started banging on the bongos, while the MC came out and to freestyle a bit and managed to get all of us off our butts and dancing and clapping like we were at a Greek wedding. I wish I had been able to attend their night show at the Copa, they’d go really well with some good tequila and some chiffon.

Give a musical equation that describes the band’s sound.
The Roots + Flamenco + a Greek wedding + Bollywood + all of your Mediterranean fantasies

If you had to marry one band member, who would it be?
Rena! I am totally into dudes, but she was absolutely gorgeous. Wearing this velvet black halter with a retro, high-rise swimsuit bottom, some pleated, translucent parachute pants and a bunch of gold jewelry, she really looked like she was meant to sing the ’60s, Greek outlaw blues they claim to be reviving. Of course, if we were to marry, it would only be so I’d have free range of her wardrobe and any beautiful Greek brothers she may have…

By Esther Merono

slugmag.com

Les saveurs mètissèes d’Imam Baildi

CRITIQUE Le collectif grec a sillonnè l’Europe mais se faisait rare en France.
Rattrapage mercredi au festival toulousain Rio Loco.

Imam Baildi est une aubergine rôtie au four avec oignons, tomate et huile d’olive, une merveille de la
cuisine ottomane. C’est aussi le nom d’un des groupes les plus singuliers de la scène européenne. Créé
à Athènes par les frères Orestis et Lysandros Falireas, Imam Baildi a commencé par remixer des 78-
tours de rebetiko, le blues des bas-fonds gréco-turcs. «Pour notre premier disque, nous redoutions la
réaction du public, confie Lysandros. Retravailler avec l’ordinateur ces chansons connues et aimées
du public grec confinait au sacrilège.» Pourtant, le disque est plébiscité. Et parvient aux oreilles des
programmateurs des Transmusicales, où le groupe se produit, fin 2007. «Rennes a été notre premier
concert. Nous n’avions pas pensé le projet en termes de scène. Nous avons mis sur pied un groupe en
quelques semaines : mon frère aux platines, moi aux percussions, et quatre musiciens dont deux cuivres pour donner une couleur balkanique.» Le groupe s’étoffera plus tard avec une chanteuse et un
rappeur.

La Bretagne leur a porté bonheur : ils ne tardent pas à devenir numéro 1 en Grèce, tournent
régulièrement aux Pays-Bas, en Allemagne et, depuis 2013, aux Etats-Unis et au Canada. Mais très peu
en France. Conséquence de la crise économique, qui contraindrait Imam Baildi à trouver le salut
financier hors des frontières ? «C’est exactement le contraire, rectifie Lysandros. Nous vivons de nos
nombreux concerts dans notre pays, où nous pratiquons des prix très raisonnables. Crise ou pas, les
Grecs aiment la fête. Quant aux voyages à l’étranger, ils nous coûtent plus qu’ils ne nous rapportent.
Mais c’est pour nous un investissement.»

Imam Baildi a fourni la bande sonore aux bouleversements d’un pays meurtri qui a porté au pouvoir la
gauche radicale. Avec Maraveyas Ilégal, manière de Manu Chao hellène, ou le groupe de reggae festif
Locomondo, ils forment une scène combative et métissée qui nous reste quasiment inconnue. «Il faut
bosser dur pour s’imposer à l’étranger, poursuit Lysandros. Nous avons le défaut d’être trop
introspectifs, tournés vers nousmêmes.
Nous prenons pour modèle le cinéma grec, qui a montré la
voie ces dernières années en révélant un univers original, qui tient à la fois de l’Orient et de
l’Occident.»

La force et l’originalité d’Imam Baildi sur scène viennent de l’alternance entre la chanteuse Rena
Morfi, sur les titres traditionnels, et le rappeur noir MC Yinka. «Il est aussi grec que nous, précise
Lysandros, il est né à Athènes de parents venus du Nigeria, où il n’a jamais mis les pieds.»

François-Xavier GOMEZ

IMAM BAILDI le 17 juin à Toulouse (31), au festival Rio Loco ; le 2 juillet au Divan du Monde (75018),
le 4 à Saint-Denis-de-Gastines (53), le 5 à Amilly (45).

LIBERATION.FR