“KOMPANÍA played a concert that deserves a citation in the great tradition of the Bruges Festival” “……..a different ball game was Friday’s top of the bill ‘KOMPANÍA’, a classic five-piece rebétiko line-up built around singers KaterínaTsirídou, Sotíris Papatragiánnis and singer- bouzouki player Dimítris Kranídas. The start of the concert, presentation, choice of repertoire, set-building, skill, precision and finesse in the renditions, beautiful three or even four part harmony vocals, dynamics and the sheer joy of playing: they scored highly in all these segments. The beginning with Sotiris alone on stage, starting to play his baglamas into the devoted silence , slowly joined by the others…..This is in total contrast with the total visual inactivity of many Greek acts – something is happening! In other words: these people are ready to shine outside Hellas. Not only the presentation was excellent, inside the band things are in the right place too; the members have many other obligations, they play in different groups, take part in recording sessions; still they insist on working together as KOMPANÍA on a regular basis and embrace this old repertoire with love, passion and knowledge. What they are doing is not necessarily new, it’s a respectful contemporary rendition of what once was a living form of music, but this five piece band gives it a new soul, a transplant, which may keep it alive far into this century.”………. By Antoine Légat, 14-11-2012 www.folkroddels.be

"KOMPANÍA": The rembetika band, that spreads our folk music throughout Europe. Katerina, Sotiris, Dimitris and the other guys, give their "answer" through their melodic culture. KOMPANÍA means folk music band. It is, since the 19th century, a "hive" of original music culture, all over the Balkan region. This is the name, that a company of friends chose to give to their band, touring Europe! They are all significant performers of the traditional rembetika songs: Katerina Tsiridou: Vocals, Baglama, Zills - Sotiris Papatragiannis: Vocals, Baglama - Dimitris Kranidas: Vocals, Bouzouki, Oud - Nikos Protopapas: Guitar and Giannis Kalafatelis: Accordeon. So, because people outside Greece tend to appreciate tradition and beauty, far more than the natives, who usually settle with non worthy, cheap-pop, by-products, the Dutch, without any delay, recorded the successful "KOMPANÍA" concert and they released a cd, featuring 15 iconic rembetika songs! We asked them for a few words, about their admittedly beautiful work: -Do the non-Greeks still appreciate the rembetika? Some years ago, the rembetika songs, were more popular outside Greece, than nowadays! Nevertheless, so far, in every place that we played the theaters were full and more importantly, the love and the respect that we met, were unprecedented. It's a sad fact, that outside Greece, people respect the rembetika and the Greek tradition, far more than many Greeks. -In your opinion, what is it that attracts the non Greeks and what do they understand in rembetika? Even the people that don't speak Greek in order to understand the lyrics, they totally understand the spirit and the feeling of the songs, through the music and the renditions. Let's not forget that music is an international language, and especially folk and traditional music has no expiration date!!! -Can the artists change the bad reputation Greece has for many people around the world these days? Those who are really responsible for the present situation in Greece and around the world, make a big effort to pass on to the people, far more blame than what they deserve. So, it's not that easy to change people's way of thinking about Greece. It's a political issue and we don't have the means to change attitudes. Still I hope, that we give food for thought to some people, to think that besides money and numbers, people all over the world, produce some things far more important... They produce art, culture and ethics and these ideals are priceless! -And what about the Greeks outside Greece? These Greeks, of course, really need to keep in contact with their homeland and its tradition! It was unbelievable for us, when we first realized that some people did a three or four hours drive, just to come and attend our concert and then travel all their way back to their home, during the night! But in the end of every show, when they come to say hello to us, you can actually see in their faces, all the strength they have absorbed from the art and that's the most important and heart warming earning of this journey... By Ilias Voliotis - Kapetanakis, author/journalist 06-01-2013 www.mousapolytropos.gr

“One word could be enough to describe their performance: ‘magical’!!” “ The group’s name may sound unassuming (KOMPANÍA means ‘band’) but in terms of music we are on a completely different level. One word could be enough to describe their performance: “magical”. Of course they played material from their recent “KOMPANÍA Live!”CD, but there were also other, often classic rebétiko songs on the repertoire. Not only the musical level was very high, they also touched the audience visually; the interesting start of their set, with one musician on the stage playing and the others joining one by one, a song with three baglamades which felt very special and intimate. As the concert evolved, it grew in depth, atmosphere and of course audience involvement. Many of those present, including myself will remember this concert for a long time.”……… By Bobtje Blues 12-11-2012 www.bobtjeblues.com

"Rootstime-Review by Marcie" "You don’t need an education in ancient Greek/Latin or an evening course in modern Greek to enjoy the expressive vocals and the emotional layers in the songs performed by the relatively young group ‘KOMPANÍA’. The way fado is connected with Portugal, rembetika as a form of music is closely intertwined with the bluesy Greek music that spread two centuries ago from a.o. Piraeus harbor, mainly through the circuit of café’s where refugees got together. The five peace group KOMPANÍA prefers playing this originally underground music. Last year the band made quite an impression with their live concerts in the Netherlands/Belgium and in November at the ‘Bruges‘ festival. The magic that showed then can also be heard on this live album – a registration of the May 6th 2012 concert at the Lutheran Church in Nijmegen (NL), including the enthusiastic applause and the introduction of the band’s members. Katerína Tsirídou takes care of the vocals together with Dimítris Kranídas , who also plays bouzouki and Arabic lute- and Sotíris Papatragiánnis, also playing baglamas – a miniature bouzouki- and percussion. The singers sometimes join together in harmony like in the beautiful opening song ‘O Macharagiás’. Níkos Protópapas plays guitar and Giánnis Kalafatélis accordion. Three solo voices, harmonies and the sometimes oriental sound make this a varied album while in your fantasy you place yourself in the tekés or taverns where the musicians let themselves go in their comforting music: either melancholic songs about life or dance music. KOMPANÍA´s musicians know perfectly well how to deal with these different moods, like in the stirring and moving ´Barbagiannakákis´ with its mysterious intro, the lament of ´Romántza´, the sparkling ´Misirlou´ or the passionate ´Acharisti´. In quite a few songs you can hear a Turkish influence which makes it all more universal. The bluesy layer is integrated within the songs. By the way both Katerina and Nikos have played with Louisiana Red and Bob Brozman. All the band´s members have been involved in the gamut of Greek music for a long time before they decided to join forces in a ´company´. Katerina released several solo records just like Sotiris. That you cannot understand the words does not really matter, you can still trace the poetry as well as the joy and the longing analog to the weather beaten path that a long time ago prompted the refugees to the café´s hoping to find warmth and company or to numb their sorrow. But festive and dance music are part of Greek culture too with at the core infectious bouzouki riffs and percussion. This album reproduces the live atmosphere well in which the joy of playing, comradeship and a strong connection with the Greek folk tradition go hand in hand. KOMPANÍA will be touring again soon (April-May 2013) , so you can see them in action." By Marcie, Rootstime, 05-03-2013 www.rootstime.be

"Review for "Round Trip / Μετ' επιστροφής" album, by the Dutch MUSICFRAMES and Mattie Poels" The Greek ensemble KOMPANÍA recorded their new album “Round Trip”. An excellent follower from their debut “KOMPANÍA Live!”. A daring, innovative and very original variation on the rebétiko and smyrneïka after the revival of the 70’s. KOMPANÍA shows a musical round trip through a wonderful piece of Europe. KOMPANÍA started in 2011 in Athens and plays the Greek rebétiko and smyrneïka. Those days derived after the exodus from Izmir (Turkey) to Greece at the end of the 19th century. Music of the poor people accompanied on the baglama. KOMPANÍA adds a few ‘new’ instruments like the accordion, (slide) guitar and several percussion instruments to create a more progressive style. We hear Greek music but also Turkish and Jewish (Sefardic) and even folk elements. All hide in between the tones, like a silk-screen and always with the Greek music in the front. A lot of new composed music we hear on ‘Round Trip’, sung by Katerina Tsiridou, Sotiris Papatragiannis and Dimitras Kranidas, with a striking Kranidas because of his beautiful (Turkish) voice ornamentation. The music is played and sung with a gorgeous musical diction. Apart as well are the guest musicians Ulas Aksunger and slide-guitarist Loek Schrievers, who is also the recording engineer and producer of the album. This Greek group proves that rebétiko is still alive and full in development. By Mattie Poels, Musicframes, 05-01-2014 www.musicframes.nl

"Antoine Légat's TOP-5 concerts for 2012 (out of 126 concerts attended)" for "Roots time" music magazine, Belgium 1/ BEYOND THE FLAGS @ CULTUURKAPEL DE SCHADUW – ARDOOIE 11.11 2/ JEFF LANG @ N9 – EEKLO 5.4 3/ KATERINA TSIRÍDOU & KOMPANÍA @ N9 – EEKLO 4.4 (and KOMPANÍA @ BRUGGES FESTIVAL 9.11!) 4/ HABIB KOITÉ & ERIC BIBB @ CC OUDERGEM 20.11 5/ AMATORSKI, TINDERSTICKS & DAMIEN RICE @ GENT JAZZ 12.7 bywww.rootstime.be