Μανώλης Χιώτης...

**Spruce** · May-22-2012, 9:26am

Got a bit of time on my hands, and have been weeding through some video footage of
Μανώλης Χιώτης (Manoli Xioti)...
Really great tone and phrasing...
One video goes on in great length comparing him to Jimi...
Wish I could understand it...

**MikeEdgerton** · May-22-2012, 9:41am

Just check, my search tool can't handle Μανώλης Χιώτης. You guys are on your own.

**Spruce** · May-22-2012, 9:45am

Manoli Xioti...

**Jim Garber** · May-22-2012, 9:48am

Thanks for posting these. Boy is that second one dramatic.

**Eddie Sheehy** · May-22-2012, 11:02am

Gotta love Bouzoukis...

**Spruce** · May-22-2012, 11:25am

Gotta love those Greek pickups...

**Eddie Sheehy** · May-22-2012, 11:36am

Bruce, are sure it isn't Greek for Lawrence Welk?

**Spruce** · May-22-2012, 12:11pm

Nope, it's all Greek to me....
His electric tone in that first clip is something else...

**Eddie Sheehy** · May-22-2012, 12:24pm

They also used the IDEAL pickup - this is one I sold on about two years ago... A 60-dougie bowlback...

**Spruce** · May-22-2012, 12:30pm

Wow, that's the one that is on the first clip that I like the tone of...
(Not that that means anything, as he's miming...)
Looks like a guitar pickup?

**mandocrucian** · May-22-2012, 4:07pm

Just check, my search tool can't handle Μανώλης Χιώτης.

Manolis Hiotis (or sometimes Chiotis) is the way I've most often seen the name spelled in the western roman alphabet. He's the guy that really popularized (or "invented") the 8-string bouzouki and the CFAD tuning in the 50s. Before that, 6-string (3 courses) in a DAD type tuning was the norm.

**Spruce** · May-22-2012, 5:34pm

Thanks for that!

**greg_tsam** · May-22-2012, 6:41pm

Originally Posted by Spruce

Got a bit of time on my hands, and have been weeding through some video footage of
Μανώλης Χιώτης (Manoli Xioti)...
Really great tone and phrasing...
One video goes on in great length comparing him to Jimi...
Wish I could understand it...

My Greek is a little rusty and on first listen I didn't hear any mention of Jimi but on second thought maybe you're right, Spuce. They were talking about how Manoli was the inspiration for Jimi.

**Spruce** · May-22-2012, 7:14pm

Originally Posted by greg_tsam

My Greek is a little rusty and on first listen I didn't hear any mention of Jimi but on second thought maybe you're right, Spuce. They were talking about how Manoli was the inspiration for Jimi.

Really?!
Interesting...
Here's the clip:

**greg_tsam** · May-22-2012, 7:33pm

Since we're on a Greek theme here let me offer a few more suggestions. The first is a BBC series on Rembetika, the Greek Blues, and incidentally the music I grew up listening to at Greek tavernas here in Houston and Greece. I was pretty well traveled for a Texas country boy b/c my father was a Greek business owner. Yes, it was in shipping AND restaurants. haha.. We have stereotypes for a reason, folks.

Two others but there are many more, of course.

Manólis Dimitrianákis wins the prize for smallest instrument.

Vagelis Trigas - Virtuosity on the Bouzouki - Check out his different videos.

**greg_tsam** · May-22-2012, 8:16pm

Ah! You were holding out on us. I thought you were just making it up about Hendrix on your first post. Believe it or not they were talking about how Jimi was inspired by Manoli.

The first cut away to his partner Mary Linda at 2:22 she tells of Jimi being interviewed and being told he was the best guitarist in the world and and he replied "You haven't heard/listened to the Greek." "Who?" asked the reporter. Jimi said "Manolis Xiotis." She finished by saying "When they listened to him (Xiotis), they understood."

I liked the part at 4:00 were the guy was talking about his technique. Fast and clean. haha.. Timeless. Sounds like some conversations on here.

5:57 - Lyndon Johnson listened to Xiotis and Linda. He was invited to play at the White House and had to say at 6:30 "No, it's not a bazooka, it's a bouzouki."

7:20 - The first electric bouzouki is talked about.

Then it guys back to the announcer who says about Jimi and Xiotis "It's not a myth but history." at 8:05. I didn't quite catch that part but it's close. Then it cuts to Mikis Theodorakis talking about Xiotis but no more Jimi.

Thanks for posting that. I really enjoyed it and also enjoyed breaking out my Greek ear and having a go at translating for you.

Originally Posted by Spruce

Really?!
Interesting...
Here's the clip:

**Spruce** · May-22-2012, 8:40pm

Thanks!!

**Bernie Daniel** · May-22-2012, 9:34pm

Very interesting and entertaining thread!

**mandolinlee** · May-22-2012, 10:33pm

Thanks Spruce, Greg and everyone. Outstanding what we can learn here on the "Cafe!
Lee

**Spruce** · May-23-2012, 5:48am

Here's his Greek Wiki page, translated into English...

"Manolis Chiotis died suddenly from heart failure at Hippokration Hospital of Athens in the early hours of the day of his (50th) birthday on March 21 of 1970"

Must've been a hellova party...

**babis** · May-23-2012, 7:26am

Hi everyone,

Manolis Hiotis was a great musician. Great guitarist too.
Some of his first recordings where inluenced by Django Reinghardt's style and sound.
Listen to that http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu4ihaMD6yg
and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYfwKil6XdQ