Discography
Gi auto Iparxoune oi Filoi (That is why Friend are there)

CD Title: Gi auto Iparxoune oi Filoi (That is why Friend are there)
Date released: 2009

Matthaios Tsahouridis performs the Pontic Lyra and the Afghan rubab in George Dalaras's new album 'Gi auto Iparhoune i fili'.

Musicians:

Music Samples:

  • Egines Pouli
Agies Mnimes (Holy Memories)

CD Title: Agies Mnimes (Holy Memories)
Date released: 2008

Composed by Mimis Plessas; Poetry by Dimitris Brouchos. Recorded in 2008 in Athens at 'Workshop Studios' by Tasos Chamosfakidis. Produced by MARSIAS Productions for the Pan-Hellenic Federation of Pontic Associations.

Musicians:

  • Vocals: Konstantinos Tsahouridis, Elias Klonaridis, Mary Doutsi, Spyros Kleissas, Despoina Philippou, Eleni Antoniadou, Lizeta Nikolaou, Charoula Lambraki
  • Mimis Plessas: piano, keyboard
  • Matthaios Tsahouridis: Pontic lyra, Afghan rubab, oud

Music Samples:

  • Den Exei Allaksei Tipota (Nothing has changed)
  • To Agio Aima (Holy Blood)
  • Epilogos (Epilogue)
Hussein Zahawy - One Word

CD Title: Hussein Zahawy - One Word
Date released: 2008 (AWAKENING CD AWKo8)

An instrumental album evocating soundscapes of Middle Eastern origins. Recorded at 'Blue Studios' in London (2007) by Andrew Tulloch.

Musicians:

  • Hussein Zahawy: daf, dohol, daireh, frame drums, tombak, pendaric, effect percussion, ethnic percussion
  • Matthaios Tsahouridis: Pontic lyra
  • Jenna Reid: Scottish fiddle
  • Serkan Cargi: clarinet
  • Yusuf Mahmoud: Indian tabla
  • Tigran Aleksanyan: duduk
  • Eyub Hamis: ney, zorna
  • Goran Kamil: oud

Music Samples:

  • Pontic Dance
  • Return
Yasmin Levy - Mano Suave

CD Title: Yasmin Levy - Mano Suave
Date released: 2007 (ADAMA MUSIC 450003)

"Mano Suave" blends flamenco, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Sephardic Jewish Ladino traditions. Recorded at 'Livingston Studios' in London (2007) by Jerry Boys.

Musicians:

  • Yechiel Hasson: guitar
  • Matthaios Tsahouridis: Pontic lyra
  • Alvaro Garrido: percussion
  • Amir Shahsar: ney flute, clarinet, zurna
  • Miles Danso: double bass
  • Mumin Sesler: qanun, oud
  • Kike Pedersen: harp
  • Avshalom Caspi: piano
  • Vardan Hovanissian: zurna
  • Numan Elyer: darbuka

Music Samples:

  • Komo la Roza
  • Una Ora
  • Perdono
Ta Paidia tis Niovis (Niovi's Children)

CD Title: Ta Paidia tis Niovis (Niovi's Children)
Date released: 2006 (LEGEND 2201154582)

Soundtrack of the Greek TV series 'Ta Paidia tis Niovis' (Niovi's Children), composed by Mimis Plessas. ERT Channel broadcasted the programme for more than two years both in Greece and abroad (ERT WORLD). Mimis Plessas was the first Greek film composer to introduce the sounds of the Pontic lyra and the Afghan rubab to a vast audience through TV broadcasting.

Musicians:

  • Mimis Plessas: composer, piano, keyboard
  • Matthaios Tsahouridis: Pontic lyra, oud, Afghan rubab
  • Konstantinos Tsahouridis: vocal
  • Giorgos Pachis: bouzouki, laghouto, tobra, tzoura
  • Dimitris Falieris: accordion, harmonica
  • Kostas Bravakis: acoustic guitar
  • Nikos Tsesmelis: double bass
  • Antonis Plessas: percussion, programming

Music Samples:

  • Kainourgia Patrida (New Homeland)
  • Me Pire i Nychta (Taken by the Night)
Ensemble Bakhtar Live

CD Title: Ensemble Bakhtar Live
Date released: 2006 (BOLBOL CD 03)

Ensemble Bakhtar was founded by John Baily in 2000. The group gave its first concert at Goldsmiths College in 2001. Bakhtar refers to the historical area of northern Afghanistan known in English as Bactria. This area was conquered by Alexander the Great in the 4th Century BC and subsequently became a province of the Greek Empire where central Asian and Greek cultures intermingled. This name 'Ensemble Bakhtar' indicates the subtle infusion of Greek and Middle Eastern sensibility into music from Afghanistan through the addition of the Pontic lyra.

Musicians:

  • Veronica Doubleday: vocal and daireh
  • Matthaios Tsahouridis: Pontic lyra
  • John Baily: rubab and dutar
  • Yusuf Mahmoud: tabla

Music Samples:

  • Mullah Mohammad Jan
Ta Paidia tis Niovis (Niovi's Children)

CD Title: Ta Paidia tis Niovis (Niovi's Children)
Date released: 2004 (EPC 519269 2)

This is the first sountrack of the ERT TV movie production 'Ta paidia tis Niovis' composed by Mimis Plessas. Vocals by Konstantinos Tsahouridis, Antonis Remos, Eleni Tsaligopoulou, Melina Kana and Manolis Lidakis.

Musicians:

  • Mimis Plessas: composer, piano, keyboard
  • Matthaios Tsahouridis: Pontic lyra, oud, Afghan rubab
  • Giorgos Pachis: bouzouki, laghouto, tobra, tzoura
  • Thanos Georgoulas: alto flute, bansouri
  • Dimitris Falieris: accordion
  • Lefteris Kaliopoulos: guitar
  • Nikos Tsesmelis: double bass
  • Giannis Belonis: keyboard
  • Antonis Plessas: percussion

Music Samples:

  • Sti Nyxta (In the Night)
  • Ekapsa Kai Thn Kardia Mou (I burned my Heart)
  • To Agio Aima (Holy Blood)
  • Poios Zei Kai Poios Pethainei (Who lives, Who Dies)
Re-arranging the 20th Century

CD Title: Gilad Atzmon & The Orient House Ensemble - Re-arranging the 20th Century
Date released: 2004 (ENJA RECORDS TIP - 8888482)

This album won the 2003 Radio 3 Best Album Award. My collaboration with jazz musician Gilad Atzmon was my first experiment to play jazz music on the Pontic lyra. Recorded in 2004 by Philip Bagenal at 'Eastcote Studios', London.

Musicians:

  • Gilad Atzmon: soprano and alto saxophones, clarinet, sol, trombone, shabbaabeh flute, piccolo
  • Matthaios Tsahouridis: Pontic lyra, Greek bouzouki
  • Yaron Stavi: double bass
  • Asaf Sirkis: drums, bandir, riqq
  • Romano Viazzani: accordion
  • Dumitru Ovidiu Fratila: violin, trumpet-violin
  • Robert Wyatt: voice, trumpet
  • Guillermo Rozenthuler: vocals
  • Tali Atzmon: vocals

Music Samples:

  • Liberating the American People
  • Lili Marleen
Media Music - Mixed Spices

CD Title: Media Music - Mixed Spices
Date released: 2004 (JW Media Music Ltd JW 2153)

The recordings contained in this album are produced for film, television, radio and advertising only. Produced by "jm MEDIAMUSIC ltd" and recorded in 2004 at BBC Maida Vale Studios, London.

Musicians:

  • Jan Hendrickse: duduk
  • Matthaios Tsahouridis: oud, violin
  • Ruben Micho Correa: electric guitar
  • Jimme Le Mesurier: latin percussion
  • Paul Clavis: ethnic percussion
  • Chris Storr: trumpet
  • Cameron McBride & Phil Harmer: guitars, basses, keyboards, vocals, sitar-guitar, saz, percussion and handclaps

Music Samples:

  • Mixed Spices
Ochre

CD Title: Ochre
Date released: 2004 (Cloud Valley CV2008)

The result with each of the seven tracks included in this album using as its starting point a song melody from English tradition, is inventive and imaginative. Ochre went on to win nominations as Album of the Year in the 2005 BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music. Recorded in 2004 at 'Dreamworld Studios', Wales.

Musicians:

  • Andrew Cronshaw: zither, fujara, ba-wu, gu-cheng, whistle, dizi, quenacho, overtone whistle
  • Matthaios Tsahouridis: Pontic lyra
  • Abdullah Chhadeh: qanun, oud
  • Ian Blake: bass clarinet, soprano sax, clarinet, prepared piano
  • Bernard O' Neill: double bass
  • Llio Rhydderch: triple harp
  • Natasha Atlas: vocals

Music Samples:

  • Sofia, the Saracen's daughter
Amici forever - The Opera Band

CD Title: Amici forever - The Opera Band
Date released: 2004 (BMG 828766 40832)

John Themis was the person who 'linked' me into the performance of the main music theme of the BBC television, for the coverage of the Olympic Games of Athens 2004.

Musicians:

Music Samples:

  • Olympia Eternal Flame
Oi Peripeteies enos Proskyniti

CD Title: Oi Peripeteies enos Proskyniti (Adventures of a Pilgrim)
Date released: 2003 (Mercury 980877 1)

Recorded at 'Studio Sierra' in Athens in 2003 by Vangelis Lappas and produced by Universal Music.

Musicians:

  • Alkinoos Ioannidis: composer, laghouto (Greek lute), electric guitar, electric bass, percussion
  • Matthaios Tsahouridis: Pontic lyra
  • Fon Musicalis Choir conducted by Kostis Konstantaras

Music Samples:

  • Apogeuma Sto Dentro (Afternoon on the Tree)
The Light Garden Trilogy

CD Title: The Light Garden Trilogy
Date released: 2003 (METIER MSV CD92084)

This recording was made at Holy Trinity Church, Weston, Hertfordshire on 27 January 2003. Recorded and produced by David Lefeber. The 'Light Garden' project is based on an Afghan instrumental composition, the Naghma-ye kashal (extended instrumental piece), a genre of art music specific to Afghanistan.

Musicians:

  • Veronica Doubleday: vocal and daireh
  • Matthaios Tsahouridis: Pontic lyra
  • John Baily: rubab and dutar
  • Ustad Arif Mahmoud: tabla

Music Samples:

  • Naghma-ye Kashal (Extended Instrumental piece) in rag Bairami
  • Bibi Gol Afruz (Shining Flower Lady)
  • Siah Cheshm-e Khumari (Your captivating black eyes)
From Pontos to Persia - Improvisations on the Pontic Lyra and the Persian Kamancheh

CD Title: From Pontos to Persia - Improvisations on the Pontic Lyra and the Persian Kamancheh
Date released: 2003 (PROTASIS PR 1057 -2)

Recorded in November 2001 at 'MCS Studios' by Kevin Delas Casas and mastered at 'Blue Studios' by Andrew Tulloch. The aim of this project was to explore the 'common ground' between the musical cultures of Persia and Greece. A 'PROTASIS' music production.

Musicians:

  • Matthaios Tsahouridis (Greece): Pontic lyra
  • Ardeshir Kamkar (Iran): Persian kamancheh
  • Hussein Zahawy (Kurdistan): daf, daireh

Music Samples:

  • The Meeting
  • Iranian Kamancheh Improvisation
  • Horizons
  • Solo Daf
  • Union
  • Pontic Lyra Improvisation
Music from Afganistan, Ensemble Bakhtar

CD Title: Music from Afganistan, Ensemble Bakhtar
Date released: 2002 (AVIDI LUMI, World Music Magazine)

This is the first recorded and published version of the 'Ensemble Bakhtar Live' CD. It contains the live recordings of the concert given by the members of the ensemble at 'Teatro Massimo', Palermo, Italy, for UNESCO.

Musicians:

  • Veronica Doubleday: vocal and daireh
  • Matthaios Tsahouridis: Pontic lyra
  • John Baily: rubab and dutar
  • Yusuf Mahmoud: tabla

Music Samples:

  • Eh wa gol-e man (Oh my Flower)
Abdullah Chhadeh and Nara

CD Title: Abdullah Chhadeh and Nara
Date released: 2002 (ABYC CHH2002)

Recorded by Andrew Tulloch live in concert at WOMEX, De Doelen, Rotterdam, 27-10-01. The album introduces experimental music from Syria, Greece, Kurdistan and the Middle East.

Musicians:

  • Abdullah Chhadeh (Syria): qanun
  • Matthaios Tsahouridis (Greece): Pontic lyra
  • Bernard O' Neill (Ireland): double bass
  • Hussein Zahawy (Kurdistan): daf, daireh
  • Azad Zahawy (Kurdistan): djembah
  • Hawar Zahawy (Kurdistan): daf, daireh
  • Natasha Atlas: guest vocalist

Music Samples:

  • Assaf
  • Keif
  • Lama-Bada
  • Nashweh
Martha & Eve - Stay

CD Title: Martha & Eve - Stay
Date released: 2001 (BUD CD013)

Recorded at 'The Premises Studio' in London (2001) and produced by Martha Lewis and Eve Polykarpou.

Musicians:

  • Martha Lewis: lead vocal, guitars, drums and percussion
  • Eve Polykarpou: lead vocal, guitars
  • Matthaios Tsahouridis: violin, laghouto (Greek lute)

Music Samples:

  • Aspro Mantili (White Handkerchief)
Lefteris Pantazis - Ston Evdomo Ourano

CD Title: Lefteris Pantazis - Ston Evdomo Ourano (Seventh Heaven)
Date released: 2000 (MBI CD10853)

This was the first professional recording I made in the UK with the Pontic lyra. Recorded in 2000 at 'Greek City Studios' by Charis Koutsavakis.

Musicians:

  • Charis Koutsavakis: percussion, saz, strings, drums, cuna cymbals, kawala pipe, Arabic flute, rhythm guitars, kazoo, keyboard
  • Matthaios Tsahouridis: Pontic lyra, laghouto (Greek lute)
  • John Themis: rhythm guitars
  • Simos Simeou: congas, bongos, timbales
  • Tahir Ibrahim: darabuka

Music Samples:

  • Etsi Nomizei (Thinking like that)
Pontic Music Events

Pontic Lyra by Eleftherios Foulidis Pontic music which includes music, poetry and dance, is a time honored cultural heritage that expresses the customs, traditions, ethos and in some way the history of the Pontic people. The Pontic lyra is the instrument that expresses my deeply felt devotion and respect for the music that I love and serve. Please follow youtube for more pontic videos.

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Performances

30-12-2011: "Psyche & Soma" with Konstantinos Tsahouridis, Veria, Greece

7-1-2012: "Psyche & Soma" with Konstantinos Tsahouridis, Kavala, Cyprus.

27-1-2012: "Psyche & Soma" with Konstantinos Tsahouridis and Pela Nikolaidou, Sochi, Russia

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Biography

Matthaios Tsahouridis Matthaios Tsahouridis was born in Veria, Greece. Growing up in the environment of a splendid and fertile musical tradition, already at the age of 9 he had made his mark as a perceptive performer and a sensitive interpreter.The Pontic lyra is the instrument which expresses his deeply felt...

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