Kostas Skarvelis facts for kids

Kostas Skarvelis (Greek: Κώστας Σκαρβέλης, 1880 – 8 April 1942) was a Greek composer of popular music. He was known for rembetiko, a special kind of Greek music. He also wrote the words for his songs. Skarvelis was an amazing guitar player and played on many recordings.

A Musician's Early Life

Kostas Skarvelis was born in 1880 in Constantinople. This city, now called Istanbul, was part of the Ottoman Empire back then. Many Greek people lived there at the time. When he was a child, Kostas faced some difficulties. Because of this, he could not go to a Greek school and did not learn to write well.

Even without formal schooling, Kostas loved music. By the time he was 17, he had become a very skilled guitar player. As a young adult, he left his home country. He did this to avoid joining the Turkish Army. He first moved to Alexandria in Egypt. Later, between 1915 and 1920, he settled in Athens, Greece. Before becoming a full-time musician, Skarvelis worked as a craftsman. He specialized in making fancy shoes.

Starting a Music Career

In 1922, many Greek people had to leave Turkey. They came to Greece as refugees. Among them were many musicians who shared a similar musical style with Skarvelis. He met artists like Antonis Diamantidis, Kostas Karipis, and Rita Abatzi. This was a big moment for Skarvelis. He then began his professional music career. At first, he mainly played the guitar. Soon after, he also started composing his own songs.

By 1930, Skarvelis became an artistic director in the recording industry. This important role allowed him to help shape Greek music. He also played guitar on many recordings. He helped other composers and artists with their music. Skarvelis also continued to perform live as a guitarist. He often played with the famous group called Tetras. This group included Markos Vamvakaris and Stratos Pagioumtzis.

His Music and Legacy

Skarvelis wrote hundreds of songs during his career. More than 200 of his recorded songs still exist today. He worked with many popular singers. Some of these singers were Giorgos Kavouras, Rita Abatzi, and Markos Vamvakaris. Giorgos Kavouras sang the most of Skarvelis's songs.

As a songwriter, Skarvelis mostly wrote about love. Many of his songs were in the hasapiko style. This was a popular dance music. His music is seen as a great example of the urban music from Constantinople.

A Tragic End

Kostas Skarvelis died in Athens on April 8, 1942. He passed away during the Great Famine in Greece. This terrible famine happened because Greece was occupied by the Axis Powers during World War II. Hundreds of thousands of Greeks died from starvation during this time. Skarvelis was one of them.