JOHN "TRAXANA" THEMELIS

Laouto, Violin, Sandouri, Lyra, Zourna, Saxophone & Bouzouki

John grew up listening to Greek, Armenian, Turkish and Arabic music, and is interested in the sounds of the Balkans and Near East. Over the years, he has learned to perform on countless musical instruments from all parts of the Balkan/Near Eastern world. Of all of these instruments, the laouto, a lute with four double courses played in Greek folk music, has been his main focus, that is, to learn and recreate the strumming and playing style of the Cyclades, Dodekanese, Crete and the Mainland of Greece. Additionally, he has devoted much time and effort in learning the santouri, the Greek hammered dulcimer, which is played through Greece in folk ensembles, and has become one of the top players of this instrument in the United States. He has performed throught the USA, Canada and Greece with the likes of Nikos Oikonomidis, Nikos Sofos, Mavrothis Kontanis and the Maeandros ensemble, Demetri Tashie, Beth Bahia Cohen, Lefteris Bournias, and many  others. He has collaborated with the members of the Endasi group since 2003.

DIMITRI "KARAFLA" PAPADIMITRIOU

Daouli, Doumbeleki, Defi, Daire, Toumbaki, Drums Set & Guitar

Dimitri's first encounters with Greek traditional music were through his experience with the Troupe Hellas dance group when he was five. Having danced and listened to the music throughout his youth, he developed an affinity for percussion. At the age of 13, he studied drums under Jerry Fields, p.h.D. At 17, he joined his father's Greek band -Alpha Omega Sound - in which he learned a vast Greek repertoire including, laika, rebetika and elafrolaika. He still performs with them today. In 1997, Dimitri visited Greece and bought his first daouli and learned techniques from daouli master, George Gevgelis, all while learning other percussion instruments and rhythms. Since that time, he has studied the musical stylings of several villages of Greece and continues to do so. Since 1997, Dimitri has performed for a multitude of functions and dance groups throughout the U.S., Canada and Greece. He has learned various techniques from percussionists such as Yiannis Dramalis, Hlias Dimanos, Rumen Sali Shopov, Yiannis Apazidis, Stathis Pareskevopoulos and Dan Auvil. He has been a member of Endasi since its inception and has had the privilege of playing alongside musicians such as Vasilis Saleas, Christos Govetas, Manoli Houlis, Alexi Parxaridis, Christos Tiktapanidis, Anna Vissi and several others.

DIMITRIOS "MITSO" DALLAS

Tsabouna, Clarinet, Gaida, Santouri, Zourna, Lyra, Laouto, Violin, Accordian & Bouzouki

Dimitri (Mitso) Dallas has been a member of Endasi since its debut in 2003. He started his musical career, however, at the age of 10 when a local Chicago legend, Vasilis Gaitanos, pulled him on stage to play bouzouki during one of his venues.Since then, Dimitri has been on a musical adventure, learning instruments and styles along the way. Whether it be violin, laouto, or klarino (clarinet), Dimitri finds a distinct beauty in any melody and truly lives in the music. Dimitri is most fond of the tsabouna (Greek Island Bagpipe). What started as an experiment led him to making the instrument himself and to continue learning the different styles and techniques that this near extinct instrument had to offer. Dimitri has had the privilege of playing with and learning from such musicians as the late Panos Menexis, Jim Stoyanoff, Christos Govetas, Mixalis Tzouganakis, Giorgos Sofianidis, Yiannis Kladakis, Manolis Houllis, the Alpha Omega Sound and many more.

COLLABORATING ARTISTS

The musicians below are collaborating artists of Endasi who specialize in certain genres and instruments.
Some events require specific sound and instrumentation - which is why we work with these fine gentlemen in
order to produce the most authentic and well-rounded Greek music.

SARANTOS KAPERONIS

Gaida, Lyra, Floghera, Trumpet

Saranto has been involved in Greek Folk dance from a very young age and continues to dance and direct for his home parish, Holy Trinity Charlotte. In 2011, Sarantos began following his dream of doing first-hand dance and music research in Greece. His primary focus has been researching the region of Thrace, specifically Evros. His passion inspired him to learn Thracian Gaida in the unique style from Evros under the instruction of his mentor and fellow gaida player, Panagiotis Zikidis of Pentalofos, Evros. Since 2012, he began learning and playing the Thracian lyra. Saranto is one of only a few musicians to currently play the Thracian Lyra. In addition to these traditional Greek instruments, Saranto played trumpet in grade school. Under the direction of Whit Blount, he continued to play through middle and high school and has recently incorporated his trumpeteering into the brass style of Macedonian music. Saranto has been playing these instruments alongside Endasi since 2012. 

IZAKI Metropoulos

Violin, Laouto, Bouzouki

Izaki Metropoulos hails from Chicago, Illinois and is an avid Greek dancer. His musical specialties include violin as well as other stringed Greek instruments.

THEOFILOS KOUREMETIS

Guitar, Bass

At the age of two, Theofilo began his musical journey by memorizing his uncle’s 45’s and singing along. It was there that he fell in love with music and the guitar. His uncle bought him his first guitar at the age of 10. His professional career as a guitarist in Greece began in 1989 where he played several clubs. In 1990, Theofilo moved to the United States and continued to play music at various events. He then joined Alpha Omega Sound in 2001 and has been playing guitar and bass with the band ever since.

JORDAN ELROD

Daouli, Doumbek, Doumbaki, Dahare

Jordan has been a dancer and instructor since his early teen years. Having researched dance and music all over Greece, Jordan has a vast knowledge of the cultural traditions of the Hellenic Culture. He has been playing percussion since the 1990s and continues to study dance and music. 

IOANNIS PAPASPYROU

Piano, Bouzouki, Guitar, Composition
Ioannis Papaspyrou was born in Thessaloniki, Greece. He studied at Synchrono Odio Conservatory where he completed theory and jazz harmony and received the certificate in harmony with Mr. Ioannis Aggelakis. He also studied at the Neo Odio Conservatroy where he received certificates in counterpoint and fugue with Dr. Christos Samaras. At age 20, he became a professional musical performer and educator. In 2005, he received his composition diploma with Mr. Alkis Baltas and his Byzantine music diploma with Dr. Miltiadis Pappas at the Mousiko Collegio Conservatory. In 2011, Mr. Papaspyrou earned a Bachelor of Music degree in composition at Georgia State University and is currently pursing his master’s degree in music composition at GSU with Dr. Nickitas Demos. His future plans including pursuing a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology.