From Greece via Stockholm Jazz Fest, to the country side in Österbotten, Finland.

Are you are looking for the road to Sweden? You will find it in Hästö in Kronoby, Finland.
Letar du efter vägen till Sverige? Du hittar den i Hästö I Kronoby, Finland.

There is a huge difference between Athens and Patra in Greece and Kronoby in Finland. The destinations have their own individual charm and I love them all. Nevertheless, I have to admit, that for the moment I’m a bit concern regarding Finland due to the lack of sun and a temperature which I wish was 5 degrees higher.
Det är en stor skillnad mellan Aten och Patra I Grekland och Kronoby I Finland. Samtliga ställen har sin charm och jag uppskattar dem alla. Dock, måste jag medge att jag för tillfället är lite skeptisk när det gäller Finland. Anledningen är avsaknaden av sol och en temperatur som borde vara 5 grader högre.

Before the departure to Finland I visited the opening evening at Stockholm Jazz Fest (15-19 July at Skeppsholmen). The evening was a tribute to New Orleans and the Southern states of USA. Among the artists were Dr John, Allen Toussaint, Blind Boys of Alabama and Little Feat. All of them delivered according to expectations except Little Feat, which was a disappointment. Where was the bluesy rock soul? The group insisted on playing a fusion-funk without a beginning, nor an end, and with non-existing melodies.
Mr Allen in action
Innan det var dags för avresa till Finland besökte jag öppningsdagen på Stockholm Jazz Fest (15-19 juli på Skeppsholmen). Kvällen var en hyllning till New Orleans och sydstaterna. Bland artisterna fanns Dr John, Allen Toussaint, Blind Boys of Alabama och Little Feat. Alla levererad vad som förväntades och till publikens uppskattning utom Little Feat som var en besvikelse. Var fanns den bluesiga rock soulen? Bandet insisterade att spela an fusion-funk utan vare sig början eller slut och med en total avsaknad av melodier.

It is said that The Blind Boys of Alabama was founded 1939 and one of the members, the lead singer, is still in the band. But are they all blind?
The Blind Boys of Alabama, torde ha startat 1939 och deras lead sångare är en av originalmedlemmarna. Men hur många är egentligen blinda?

One of the main attractions during the second day was the world famous trumpet player Roy Hargrove and his Big Band. Well, I missed them but it was compensated as we were on the same flight between Stockholm and Helsinki. The band was on their way to Pori Jazz. I had the chance to talk to Vincent ….. one of the trombonist, and he told me about the jazz life in his hometown Detroit.
En av huvudattraktionerna under dag två var den världskända trumpetare Roy Hargrove och hans Big Band. Jag missade dem men det kompenserades när det uppdagades att vi var på samma flyg mellan Stockholm och Helsingfors. Bandet uppträdde också på Pori Jazz. Jag satt bredvid en av trombonisterna Vincent …. Och han berättade om jazzlivet I sin hemstad Detroit.

Principally it was not allowed to take photos at the Jazz Fest, but I managed to take a few. I princip var fotografering förbjuden på jazzfestivalen men jag lyckades än snika till mig några bilder.












For one more week the relaxing country life goes on at the summerhouse in Kronoby. It includes sauna, playing cards, socializing with relatives, reading books and listening to Radio Vega (a local Finnish-Swedish channel).
Det avkopplande lantlivet fortgår ytterligare en vecka på sommarstugan i Kronoby. Det inkluderar bastu, kortspel (Klöver-8), socialisering med släkten, läsa böcker och att lyssna på Radio Vega (en finlandsvensk kanal).

Sakis Rouvas concert in Athens at the old Olympic Stadium

“Sakis the Great” entertained his fans at the old Olympic Stadium in Athens.
Imagine a soft, mild Greek night, with the moon shining bright above your head, in the open air historical Kallimarmaron Stadium, with approximately 40.000 people singing backing vocals. I knew that Sakis Rouvas was a one of the most popular artists in Greece but yesterday fully understood what that really meant. Me, together with thousands of Greek fans, was the final evidence. Sakis must a modern version of Alexander the Great, as I see it from my Finnish-Swedish perspective.

Sakis is not the greatest singer but a professional, charming and hardworking entertainer. He knows how to treat his people and the audience is eating out of his hand. Everybody seems to know all the lyrics, and as soon as Sakis is doing some extra 'shake-shake-moves' the reaction is immediate and close to hysterical. Despite this he did not sing his previous 2004 ESC entry “Shake It”.

The older songs seem to be the most popular ones and it’s also in these songs his voice is as its' best. During a rock-cover-potpourri and a tribute to Michael Jackson his voice is rather flat and gives a feeble impression. I have always emphasized that Greek songs in Greek language are better than English versions but this night I found one exception. The Greek version of the this year’s ESC entry “This Is Our Night” was a disappointment to me. The energy and the beat I remembered from Moscow were not there at all.


As often happens in huge concerts, the sound quality is not always the best. I also wished that the band would have been more visible, instead of putting them far behind on the stage. Sakis was now and then backed up with up to 20 dancers or more, but most of the work was done by him. He changed clothes once in the middle and all in all the concert lasted for 1,5 hours but felt longer due to the high tempo. Personally I found the first part better and more intense.


Sakis is a dearly loved artist among every generation. All young boys want to be a Sakis and that might result in an interesting future development of the Greek society and new ideal of a man. I also lenrnt that the female fans are called “Rouvitsa”. So far I haven’t heard what the male fans are called but one thing is sure - they are as many as the women.



My friend Fotis who is the Chief editor for www.oikotimes.com


Photos by Fotis Konstantopoulos and Lilian

Anna Vissi in concert – Greklands Madonna / The Greek Madonna

Anna Vissi concert in Athens 30 June was fab!
Anna Vissi har banat väg för det grekiska musikundret. Hon var först med stora påkostade shower i Grekland och som även framfördes utomlands. Därför är det inte konstigt att det finns en del kändisar i publiken under hennes sommarkonsert utanför Aten: Antonios Remos, Constantinos Christoforou (ESC för Cypern 2005), Elene Paparizou för att nämna några. Ja t.o.m. Tommy Lee från Mötley Crüe (tillika Pamela Andersons omtalade man) fanns på plats eftersom bandet hade konsert här kvällen innan.
Anna Vissi gave rise to the Greek music wonder. She was the first artist to do big show productions in Greece and also abroad. No surprise that there are many celebrities among the audience visiting her summer concert outside Athens: Antonios Remos, Constantinos Christoforou, Elene Paparizou, just to mention only a few. And Tommy Lee from Mötley Crüe (also known as the famous husband of Pamela Anderson) was there as the band did a concert here earlier this week.


I år firar Anna 35 år som artist och jag är djupt imponerad. Hon har en ork, energi och styrka i rösten som få kan uppvisa efter så många år i denna bransch. Hon gillar att vara förtegen om sin ålder och säger själv att hon är född 1957 men i verkligheten torde det vara 1954. Konserten pågår i 3,5 timme och Anna Vissis systerdotter Vera Boufi gör ett par inhopp och river av alla Annas hits från 1970-talet och framåt. I den ljumma sommarnatten sjunger alla med inlevelse och allsång på Skansen känns ganska blekt. Skulle inte förvåna mig om vi kommer att få se Vera i Eurovision sammanhang framöver. Hon har helt klar talang och utstrålning på scenen.
Anna Vissi is celebrating 35 years as an artist and I am deeply impressed by her. She has an enormous energy and strength in her voice and there are not many who can compete with her. She prefers to not be open with her age and the official version says that she is born 1957 but the most probably it is 1954. The concert lasts for 3,5 hours and Anna’s niece Vera Boufi jumps in during the breaks, singing Anna’s hits from 1970 and forward. In the mild summer night everybody is singing with … empathy and the Swedish TV-program “Allsång på Skansen” makes a feeble impression.


Annas nya CD heter ”Apagorefmeno” som betyder ”Forbidden”, och har en tydlig rock touch.
Anna’s new CD album is ”Apagorefmeno” which means ”Forbidden”, and it has a rather strong rock touch.


Thanks dear Antonios for a fantastic evening!