Mimis Plessas

Let’s talk about that evening, the Mimis Plessas’ concert at the Theatre of Herodes Atticus, at the opening show of the Athens Festival 50th Anniversary.

This is not the first time I congratulate Mimis Plessas for the way he organizes his concerts at the Theatre of Herodes Atticus. Once more, congratulations! Not only for his works (countless and great), but also because he chooses Mrs. Elli Rouben, who is admittedly one of the few women that know how to organize such a significant evening.

A Premiere, then, at the Theatre of Herodes Atticus as well as a triumph of our national Mimis. What an orchestra! Not even Von Carajan conducted such a large orchestra. Mimis’ musicians were so many that reached the VIP seats. Both giant screens showed him and his associates, zoomed in, while the lighting created an excellent atmosphere. In other words, we are not just talking about organization. We are talking about first class stage direction. When he appeared in the centre, after the music announcements, a dark silhouette with a thousand spotlights in the background, people screamed. With love. Yes, pure love. A love, born out of admiration and gratitude for all the years of delight he has offered us. And Mimis sat at the piano and played jazz. Amazingly. While we were watching his hands on the screens. More jazz followed and other songs, and Mimis himself conducted his great orchestra.

His associates are numerous. Vassilis Saleas enchanted everyone playing his clarinet. Young people sang, such as Spiros Klissas, Konstantinos Tsahouridis, Evi Kapatai. Singers of the Greek National Opera performed as well, such as Vasiliki Karayianni and Antonis Koroneos. But, most of the applause was for Zoe Kouroukli.

Intermission:
And then, for the second part, a very smart change of stage-set. The orchestra’s seats were covered and the evening gained a more folk- merry character, which peaked with Alkistis Protopsalti singing Mimis’ most popular songs.
That’s when the audience really cheered. There was not an empty seat. While Alkistis Protopsalti was singing songs, whose lyrics were written by Lefteris, the audience was able to hear every word clearly, thanks to her excellent articulation. Listening to the lyrics clearly, made me realize once more how great Lefteris is. Powerful, meaningful, simple, honest words, daggers to our hearts. Words able to create images. As well as dreams. As well as truths!

And I was thinking of some new, important lyric-writers that desperately look for original rhymes, supposedly surprising. Artificial, fake, presumptuous songs, without a hint of true emotion. Oh Lefteris! New writers… cannot beat you…

Rozita Sokou, “Apogevmatini” – Daily newspaper
May 28th, 2005
- Apogevmatini - Daily Newspaper (may 2005)

“Jazz is not what we play, but how we play it”! These are the words of the composer Mimis Plessas, which we find in the booklet of his new cd, titled “Mimis Plessas and the Jazz Quartet Live - Jazz the way we like it”, that contains the live recording of the concert of November 2005 at “Mylos” Club in Thessalonica, where performanced Mimis Plessas and his Jazz Quartet, as the most representative jazz band of Greece.

The presentation of the record happened in the presence of many artists and best friends of Mimis Plessas, among them the Mayor of Athens gave to Mimis Plessas, the title of the “patriot of music and our heart”.

The 15 songs of this exceptional C.D. show to the audience a different side of our loving composer, through the performances of jazz standard music pieces and his favourite compositions as well.

Next to Mimis Plessas and the members of the quartet we also find the wonderful voice of the lady of Greek music Mrs Zoe Kouroukli, in three from the most loving jazz songs of the international jazz music, Giorgos Perris who is the pleasant surprise of the album, and the younger voice of Evi Siamanta, with special vocal skills, expressing in this live album the wonderful atmosphere of that night, reminding to the audience the forgotten, not commercial, but so creative side of greek music.

D. Panou, “Adesmeftos Tipos Rizou” – Daily Newspaper
Athens, 8/2/2007
- Adesmeftos Typos - Daily Newspaper (February 2007)

“Jazz is not what we play, but how we play it”, used to say Mimis Plessas, one of the Greek pioneers of jazz music expression in our country, since he’s been occupied with it since the beginning of the ’50 decade.

The c.d. “Jazz…the way we like it” is the best proof. The final result is very good.


Of course it’s a fact, that many friends of jazz music, have heard some wonderful recordings, but the truth is, that the five musicians, who defend classic international standards and some compositions of Mimis Plessas, have no reason to envy their European and American colleagues.

Zoe Kouroukli performs impressively three songs, songs interpreted by mythic voices. Very good is the presence of Evi Siamanta and Yiorgos Perris, as well.

Yiorgos Mitrakis, “Difono” (Music Magazine)
February 2007
- “DIFONO” - Music Magazine (February 2007)

“Plessas may be a familiar name to us, the Greeks. We may know his songs, and unfortunately, sometimes, in bad arrangements.

But, the Dutch musicians as soon as they listened to the songs told me they were really powerful melodies. The Dutch called him the Greek Gershwin”.

M. Markesini
At “Makedonia” – Daily newspaper
February 2008
- Makedonia - Daiy Newspaper (February 2008)

The music of Mimis Plessas is always next to us ... When we hold the hand of someone we love and listen to Plessas songs by an open window. When we watch the films of our teenage years.

And Plessas is not only in Greece. His music travels the world through the work of great musicians and artists abroad, through the voice of Maria Markesini singing uniquely “Drop – Drop”, but also through the song “Na vro ekeinon – Just to find him” that interprets along with Richard Bona in Greek and Cameroonian ...

Pemi Zouni
Actress / Politician
December 2009
- Epilogos (December 2009)

Mimis Plessas is a unique artist. He is an artist with the unique ability and relationship with the black and white piano keys. He is a great musician. The man who founded the popular music of our country and taught us about jazz.

"Thank you Mimis for everything you offered to the Music".

Mikis Theodorakis
December 2009

- Epilogos (December 2009)

Four images with Plessas followed me throughout my life: The first is in my teenage years listening to Nana Mouskouri singing the "Star, Llittle star". The second was as student away from Greece were I hunted with passion for the Greek movies arriving abroad. And all with the wonderful music of Plessas. The third is after dictatorship, with the first sounds of jazz. The fourth is in 2005, when I received the persistent phone calls from a doctorate in chemistry. The Doctor was Mimis Plessas. Mimis Plessas who suggested me to create music for the Planetarium. A project named "The Dance of the Planets" and through his music takes us to the universe ...

Dionysis Simopoulos
Physicist / Astronomer
December 2009
- Epilogos (December 2009)

The song "Dawning Sunday" was the song which joined me through the tough vigil of reading at the University in America. I had melted the record ...

But now, I’d like to speak for Plessas the Chemist, Plessas the Scientist. Few know that Plessas doctorate in chemistry at Cornell University in America, was part of the research to combat a very serious illness of our times, multiple sclerosis. Mimis Plessas, with his doctorate about the melina, a protein in the brain, put a stone in an investigation which is now very close to open roads for the treatment of this terrible disease, from the research team of University of Patras.

Dimitris Nanopoulos
Physicist
December 2009
- Epilogos (December 2009)

Maria Markesini, The Vaste Mannen and The Jurriaan Berger Quartet prove themselves to be much more than worthy musicians and pretty able in cover versions. Without being bothered and dragged by the Greek residues, they viewed Plessas’ work in such a way, that they would probably have viewed Harold Arlen’s or Oscar Hammerstein’s works. Educated, experienced, imaginative musicians approached a series of songs, making them sound like “legends”. Some of them are made of this material.

In this chapter, titled ‘vocal jazz’ or ‘jazz song’, call it what you like, the Greek / Dutch “12 Sketches”, is a project which can stand anywhere.

Fontas Troussas
Jazz & Jazz magazine
March 2008
- Jazz & Jazz Music Magazine (March 2008)