This week, I offer a nice example of Greek dimotika from the mid-1930s.
Dimotika refers to folk songs traditionally from the Greek countryside, as opposed to rebetika, which is an urban song type that I’m sure most listeners/viewers out there are doubtlessly familiar. This dimotika track is a syrto, a folkdance and song generally in 2/4 time, usually danced in a circle. The title roughly translates to “Up on the Ridge at Kriovrisi.” The transliterated name “Kriovrisi” is actually a reference to the municipality of Kria Vrisi, located in the Macedonia region of Greece.
Alas, I could find scant information on the vocalist, Ms. Atraidou. However, the clarinetist, also credited on the record, is Yiorgo Anestopoulos, a master player and an accompanist on hundreds of classic recordings. A collection of his recordings can be found here. The “L. Rouvas” listed as composer is most likely Lazaros Rouvas, who was also a lute player.
The Orthophonic label was a Victor subsidiary, run out of the United States by Tetos Demetriades. Throughout the 1930s, they released countless fine examples of Greek and Turkish music (much of which was originally recorded in those countries).
Athanasia Atraidou – Sti Raxi Stin Kriovrisi
A big thanks to Dave at Spectacular Opticals for help with translation, as well as musical info and insight.
Technical Notes
Label: Orthophonic
Issue Number: S-737
Matrix Number: n/a
Excavated Shellac 
I talked to Dick about this recently and he said that Othorphonic wasn’t really a Victor subsidiary but was more of a side project run out of the Victor offices by Demetriades (with their blessing?). Demetriades later ran Standard records into the vinyl era.
Most of the Discographic data for Orthophonic is in EDVR and will eventually be online.
Very interesting! Thanks for the info, David – that explains a lot. I was never really sure what the relationship between Demetriades and Victor was.