Biography

MARAVEYAS band

Kostis Maraveyas, a versatile artist & original member of the Mediterranean music family, is a composer, arranger, singer, and instrumentalist. He is a skilled accordionist, guitarist, pianist, performer.
He entered the world music scene early, in 1998, as member of X Darawish, a multinational band based in Italy.
In 2003 he recorded his first solo album ‘Radiopirate’, rooted in his experience of living and musically acting both in Italy and Greece.
From 2003 to 2006 has joined numerous gigs and festivals all over Europe with top Greek artists as Dionysis Savopoulos, Evanthia Reboutsika & Panayotis Kalantzopoulos.
In July of 2007 Kostis has recorded his second album, forming his new band with a Jewish saxophonist from Jerusalem, a Greek- American bass player from Astoria and a drummer from Paris.
In ‘ilegal’ Balkan electric guitars, Latin trumpets, Jewish saxophones, classical cello are perfectly fused together under ska, reggae, rock, punk, r&b rhythms, all influenced by traditional Greek, gypsy and Jewish melodies plenty of free improvisation parts.
This project introduces for the very first time in the Greek discography a totally new sound never heard before.
On 'IleGaL' Maraveyas communicates his view for love, dreaming, traveling and comments on the vanity of moneymaking, racism, and imperialism. Musically wise, merges Greek music forms with Italian, Spanish and the so-called Mediterranean temperament. The record primarily sounds like a radio program with a soundtrack: a journey into life. The ingredients are festiveness, happiness, love, passion, and agony for peace.
The LP has gained early great power play by top Greek radios as KOSMOS 936 world music, ERA, MELODIA, DIESI and other.
Three tracks from the cd have become big hits this summer and the LP is only three months old!

The largest newspapers and magazines in Greece have written for the LP ‘ilegal’:

Humor and spirit of a live show from a theatrical singer that loves to mix different styles of music, leaving for the end a light taste of reminiscent mood.
TA NEA

Euphoric LP, accordion, Bossa nova, jazz, cool mood, nice lyrics. The good side of entertainment.
ATHENS VOICE

Maraveyas presents a fanciful album with particular musical color, vividness and unique sound. Singer and performer, mixes his accordion with cello, trumpets and electric guitars. Sometimes he tips the wink to Negresses Vertes and Mano Negra. We tip the wink to him.
TO VIMA

His new LP is a wonderful surprise. Electric tango, nice melodies with Greek suitable lyrics, musical polychrome and dominant Mediterranean elements.
LIFEO

Maraveyas’ accordion spins fires and unites to Mediterranean’s favor flamenco guitars, trumpets, saxophones and electric guitars, making in such a way an orgiastic Dionisiac maypole, that personally reminded me of Negresses Vertes in the peak of their groin.
AVOPOLIS

Explore how effortlessly Cuba and Spain blend with Balkans through the songs of a new artist with soul and humor.
PONTIKI ART