The Band of Ilias Horeftakis

Live in Atlanta, GA on Saturday January 29, 2005

Ilias Horeftakis was born to Stefanos and Anastasia in Horeftiana near Chania, Crete, in 1972. From his early years he fell in love with music, following a family tradition and the example of his grandfather Nikos Harhalis. He started lessons on the violin at the age of 12 with Michalis Kounelis. One of the greatest influences in the unraveling of his music talent was Kostas Papadakis, also known as “Naftis” (sailor), who taught Ilias not only the art, but also the history and origins of the Cretan music. He played his first glendi at the age of 13. Since then, he has performed repeatedly throughout Crete and the rest of Greece, as well as in the United States on many occasions.  His first album, “Paraxena minimata” (Strange messages), was released in 1998. Ilias edited Kostas Papadakis’ last album, titled “Ligo prin to telos” (Just before the end) where he played laouto. In 2005, he released a live recording with the title “Mia vradia ston Omalo” (a night at Omalos). His dream is to develop a music career similar to those of the old famous Cretan musicians.

Kyriakos Stavrianoudakis was born in Florina in 1974. His father is from Chania, Crete and his mother from the island of Ikaria. His love for Cretan music was revealed after his family moved from Florina to Chania. Starting at the age of six, he took lessons on cretan lyra, guitar, bouzouki, mandolin, boulgari, and finally on laouto that became his favorite instrument. Since the age of 15, when he first performed professionally, to this day he has collaborated with many Cretan lyra and violin players from all over Crete and with other folk musicians from all over Greece. Kyriakos appears in more than 20 albums, while recently he released his first personal work titled “Palia ki agapimena” (Old and loved ones). He has performed with his laouto throughout Greece and around the globe wherever Greeks can be found.

Haralambos (Babis) Doulgerakis was born in Zaros, a beautiful village known for its mineral water springs, near Herakleion, Crete. From early childhood he was exposed to the Cretan music and instruments through his relatives, many of whom are musicians. Among them, his uncle, the famous Psarantonis, was the most influential figure in Babis’ development as a musician. Even as a student in Physics at the University of Crete, he never stopped performing throughout Greece and abroad.  He also taught folk music at the Music High School of Rethymno, Crete for eight years. Babis has mastered performance on guitar, mandolin, flute, laouto, and, to a lesser degree, on violin. He feels privileged to work with Ilias Horeftakis and Kyriakos Stavrianoudakis whom he considers authentic Cretan musicians.