It’s All Greek to Me — Oopah!

It wasn't advertised as "B.Y.O.G." (Bring Your Own Greek), but I did. Good thing.

Melanie Shorrock, born "Mileos," joined me for a Greek music jam in Melrose.  Greek music? In Melrose? 

My neighbor-turned-very good-friend, whose life and marriage preceded "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," whose Greek Easter dinners my family and I look forward to eagerly each spring, made me realize that these monthly ethnic folk music jams, held at Peacuddy's Café & Bakery the fourth Wednesday night every month, are the real deal. The session on May 26 featured Greek music led by members of Meraki, a Greek band including Yaron Shragai, Sandy Theodoru, Annemoon Van Erp and Dan Salomon.

Upon hearing the first song, my friend cried. The emotional reaction that enveloped her caught her by surprise. Embarassed, she tried to contain it. But her musical heritage surfaced as she sat among strangers who played "Tessera Matia," the first in the night of lilting tunes. 

"This reminds me of my grandfather," she explained to me, wiping some tears. "He was a shepherd on the island of Andros and used to play the flute while in the fields. When he came to the States, he took up the clarinet and formed his own Greek band. I know this music. I grew up with it. All the memories are coming back." 

Not everyone was Greek. Throughout the night, almost 30-35 people, mostly adults, but including a few teens and even some toddlers, showed up to listen, drink coffee, eat pastry, play along, sing along, and even dance. The monthly ethnic jams, presented by the Folk Arts Center of New England (FAC), are free, supported in part by a grant from the Melrose Cultural Council. 

"Every month, we try a different venue," said Marcy Van Cleave, FAC executive director. It was her idea for the FAC to create a "participative" event versus passive. 

"Like an Irish session," she explained, "where a core group of musicians will start playing, and other musicians can jump in. 

"But I always felt that in an Irish session, some musicians can get left behind, if they don't know the music," Van Cleave continued. "In this format, a core group might play for a while, but it's more instructive. They want to invite the musicians who came to jam to try playing along, listeners to try singing along."

The featured Greek band, Meraki, has been together for three years. Theoduro and  Shragi have been playing Greek music together since late 2006.

"We each played at the New England Folk Music Festival three years ago," explained Theoduro, "and somehow found one another. The festival brought us together."  

Shragi plays the doumbek (Near Eastern drum), recorders, guitar and sings. Dan Salomon plays violin and joined in early 2008 and Annemoon Van Erp joined in early 2009, playing violin and also sings. (Note:  two other band members who couldn't make it include Ilyana Sawka, who sings and plays clarinet, and Ben Pasamanick, who also plays clarinet.)

Theoduro —"I'm the only real Greek in the group!" she laughs — plays the laouto, a gourd-shaped fretted string instrument (similar in shape to the lute, the oud, the bouzouki), the accordion, and also sings in Greek. The distinction about this night's venue, she explained, is that the session "is not a performance, just a 'jam' session."

Sheet music was handed out for the musicians, along with lyric sheets for those interested in singing along. The songs were written in Greek with translations provided. At first, the strangers were shy. Thirty minutes later, everyone was singing, some mumbling along, in song. Van Erp, a wonderful musician who could read music, looked questioningly at the lyric sheets and quipped, "It's all Greek to me!"

Yet it was hard to resist singing along because the environment created by Meraki was so inviting. Shragi was quiet, but firm in his direction. First, he'd demonstrate, then ask the crowd to follow his lead on their instruments. Next, he'd lead the group separately in song, in Greek. When even he was unsure of the words, Shragi would say, "Let's just sing 'la la la.'" And then, he somehow had the group put it all together.  As they sang, he'd instruct, "Good. Now, let's add some accompaniment." Suddenly, a roomful of 30 strangers, almost all non-Greeks, were singing and playing the traditional songs.

No one wanted to leave, going past the advertised end time of 9:30 p.m. London Ripton, 12, a Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School sixth grader, played percussion, tambourine and the shaky egg, alongside his dad, Blaik, who strummed guitar. Van Cleave even joined in playing during this jam — "I always wanted to try this," she said — playing her flute. Sarah DiMauro, a young blond woman in her 20s, played a gorgeous, mother-of-pearl encrusted doumbek.  One young family with two young toddlers walked in to just enjoy a late night dessert and coffee, tapping their feet and clapping hands as they listened. Their two babies danced freely to the music. 

But the night really changed when a young Melrose musician, Charlie Finacchioro, 3 and 1/2 and a Melrose Highlands pre-schooler, walked in around 8:30 p.m. with his dad, Mark, and his young "yia yia," Greek grandmother. 

Wasn't it kind of late to be bringing a little boy out for the night, instead of sending him to bed? Then the magic happened. Charlie started jamming on his little Greek guitar, like a miniature Greek Stevie Ray Vaughan. 

"Most kids have toys," shrugged his dad, "but Charlie has mikes, amps, drums…"

"If his grandfather was here, Charlie would really be jamming," his yia yia whispered into my ear, as she sat and played next to me. Turns out, Charlie's paypou (grandfather) is Charlie Makredes, one of the premier Greek musicians in the East. ("I know him, I know his music!" my friend, Mel, confirmed.  "He's a really big name in Greek music.")

And he lives in Melrose — just around the corner from Peacuddy's.

"He would have come to play," his wife explained, "but he and his band are playing in Cambridge tonight."

The night was getting late.  Wrapping up, Shragai asked, "What should we play next?"

"Let's ask Charlie," volunteered his dad, Mark. The crowd agreed.

The young boy whispered a song to his dad, the musicians nodded, and began to play. Since it was the last, everyone jammed – singing, dancing, clapping – with full vigor. There was no holding back. Everyone knew a special, magical night was about to end. 

My friend, Melanie, upon hearing the beginning notes, started tearing again. "This was my grandfather's favorite song." 

"This is different for us," Theodoru said. Often they play within the international folk dancing community.

"It will change what we do. Folk music comes from the people. Playing by ear is a more traditional route.  However, the fact that this is done in this atmosphere ... this is where the folk roots come from.  Have a glass of wine, whatever, in a small group.  That's the feeling of it.

"We're trying to make the music accessible so that others will become interested."

The night was perfect.  The only thing missing, besides the soloist?  The ouzo.

Mark your calendar for Peacuddy's June session, Wednesday, June 23, featuring Czech and Slovak music.  Think about dropping in and jamming.  Or just listening.