Gadjo Dilo (Greece)
Gadjo Dilo is a band from Athens, formed in 2009 to bring manouche jazz, to Greek audiences. The style was born in 1930s France, where Romani guitarist Django Reinhardt fused American swing with the music of his people. The band takes its name from Tony Gatlif’s 1997 film Gadjo Dilo, Romani for “crazy outsider.” Starting out with Reinhardt’s tunes and swing standards, the group soon began reworking old Greek songs in the same style, first on its debut album, Manouche de Grec (2013), and then on Manouche de Grec Vol. II (2016). They have since played festivals in Greece and across Europe.
Featured Song:
“Sou Sfirizo” (I Whistle to You) was first recorded in 1959 by Tonis Maroudas, with music by Giorgos Mouzakis and lyrics by Giorgos Oikonomidis. It follows the old Greek tradition of the kantada, a serenade sung beneath a window at night. Here, the singer whistles a special tune to call someone outside, and imagines nature itself helping out. “The breeze will come / With its gentle hand / To wake you secretly / And the moon / For our sake / Will close its eyes.”
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