Deli Teli vs. Aris San

Marseille-based laïko crew Deli Teli take on the Aris San club classic "Boumpam" on their Tsifteteli Club EP. 

Here's the scoop on Deli Teli...

Bongos, bouzouki and Farfisa organ galore! The explosive cocktail of rock'n'roll and traditional Tsifteteli hailing from 1960's Greece is still alive thanks to Deli Teli, the Marseille-based quartet performs a string of forgotten hits that once set Athens on fire, with a contagious energy and a subtle dose of Mediterranean drama. 

Half a century ago, while French seasiders would dance to yéyé sounds and dig The Beatles or Pink Floyd, a whole other scene was happening further along the coastline. Notably, Greek artists were a huge influence beyond the Mediterranean cradle; Aris San's version of "Boumpam," brilliantly interpreted by Deli Teli on this record, was a number one hit from Southern Europe to the tip of India! Far from being an exclusive Greek sound, Tsifteteli music has travelled through borders for centuries and means "double string" in Turkish. In the 1960's, it mixed with rock'n'roll, surf and Latin-American influences, and gave birth to the laïko sound. 

With their powerful electric bouzouki (Greek lute) and the distinctive sound of the Farfisa organ, Deli Teli have carved their style while digging through the incredible goldmine of the late 60's and early 70's Tsifteteli/Laïko singles. The four musicians Tassos Tsitsivakos (bouzouki), François Rossi (drums), Christos Karypidis (bass) and Arhur Bacon (keyboards) met in 2019 with a desire to dive into electric experimentation – Karypidis used to play oud and Bacon played accordion in their former projects – and made the most of 2020's lockdowns by building their repertoire and creating the Deli Teli sound. 

On this 6-track EP, they also interpret Koko's "Chily Chily," a groovy belly-dance mover ; "Ekso Dertia Kai Kaïmi,"a frenetic floor filler; « Tsiftetelli 1969 », a cool organ-led surf instrumental ; and two freer numbers,  the improvised "Taksim Deli" and "Bournelis," a creative reworking of two tracks by Leonardos Bournelis. 

Get a copy of Deli Teli's Tsifteteli Club EP from France's Catapulte Records via Bandcamp right here here. Check out their version of "Boumpam" followed by Aris San's original swinger below.