“Evritiki Zygia” first appeared in the early 2007. Five friends sharing the same experiences and passion for the traditional Thracian music, joined their forces and created this traditional music band. It consists of primitive musical instruments deeply rooted in the tradition and mind of the Thracian locals - the bagpipe, the lyra, the kaval, the davul. Ιnstruments intertwined for thousands of years with Thrace, forming an integral part in the life cycle of the Thracians - joy, sadness, marriage, death, work, migration.
It is called “Evritiki”, because the group is located in Evros, the northern and eastern part of Greece, which belongs to the geographical territory of Thrace - a place rich in historical and musical traditions. It is considered to be the homeland of Orpheus who, according to a Greek myth, was the most important representative of the singing arts and the Thracian lyra. It is called “Zygia”, which means a pair and usually in Greece suggests a traditional band or group of musicians performing together.
The continuous research, recording and playing songs that have long been buried in the closet of time, the continuous participation in Thracian customs and the strong presence in the cultural events both inside and outside Greece are the main elements that compose the gravity of identity of Evritiki Zygia. Adherence to the original way of expressing the music of Thrace marries the need for synthesis, constant creation and uplifting orchestrations, giving birth to the amalgam that accurately determine the musical style of the band. Accompanied by the traditionary Thracian musical instruments Evritiki Zygia now leaves its own distinctive musical imprint to the rich and unique mosaic of the Thracian music culture.
Indicatively, highlights to the band’s to the band's history are:
- the participation in the Panthracian Gatherings 2010 and 2014 in Feres Evrou and Didymoteicho respectively,
- the participation in the international Folklore Festival in Lefkada 2011,
- the concert in Athens at radiomegaro of ERT in July2013,
- the concerts at the "Wine Festivals" of Alexandroupolis 2013, 2014, 2015,
- the concerts in Brussels (2015) , Nuremberg (2014), Stuttgart (2013), Düsseldorf (2009),
- the concert at the "Paleariza Music Festival" in Bova Marina, Southern Italy, in 2013,
- the concert at the "Ardas Music Festival 2015" in July 2015,
- the TV documentary show about Thrace, called "Greek Events: Thrace...",
The first official discographic project of Evritiki Zygia was released in March 2013 with unreleased songs from the village Chionades, Evros. The second official project was released exactly three years later, in March 2016, including 14 unpublished traditional songs from the region "Makra Gefira" of Eastern Thrace.
The members : Partinoudis Alexis - Thracian lyra
Stratos Spyros - Bagpipe, Kaval
Pasopoulos Stratis - Vocal, Kaval
Stratos Aggelos - Percussions
Gougoulidis Sokratis - Sound engineer