Κώστας Σκαρβέλης | de

Κώστας Σκαρβέλης {Kostas Skarvelis} (Constantinople, Ottoman Empire 1880 - Athens, Greece April 8, 1942) was a Greek composer of popular music, οf the genre of rembetiko (ρεμπέτικο) in particular. He also wrote the lyrics for his songs and was an excellent guitar player, having participated in many recordings.

Σκαρβέλης grew up in Constantinople, which at the time still had a significant Greek population. Due to unspecified adversities, during his childhood he was unable to attend a Greek school, hence lacked basic writing skills. He was nevertheless able to pursue his interest in music and had, by the age of 17, become a very good guitar player. Early in his adulthood he fled the country, never again to return, in order to avoid being drafted into the Turkish Army. He first settled in Alexandria in Egypt and eventually in Athens, Greece some time between 1915 and 1920. Before starting his career as a professional musician, Σκαρβέλης worked as a specialist craftsman in the manufacturing of luxury shoes.

Following the defeat of the Greek Army in Asia Minor in 1922 and the expulsion of most Greeks from Turkey (and eventually a formal exchange of populations), Σκαρβέλης was reunited in Greece with many musicians from those areas who arrived as refugees and with whom he shared a musical background. Notable among them: Αντώνης Διαμαντίδης (Νταλγκάς), Κώστας Καρίπης, Σπύρος Περιστέρης, Ρίτα Αμπατζή, Γρηγόρης Ασίκης. It was then that he started his professional career, initially as a guitarist and later as a composer as well.

Σκαρβέλης eventually rose to the position of artistic director in the recording industry in 1930. From that position he further influenced the evolution of Greek music. He also helped with the instrumentation and as a guitarist in the recordings of most composers and artists he collaborated with.

He also continued to work as a live guitarist. Among others he worked with, he accompanied the famous Tetras (Μάρκος Βαμβακάρης, Γιώργος Μπάτης, Στράτος Παγιουμτζής, Ανέστος Δέλιας) in many of their performances.

He died of hunger on April 8, 1942 as a result of the occupation of Greece by the Axis during the Second World War, sharing the fate of hundreds of thousands of Greeks.

Σκαρβέλης composed hundreds of songs (recordings survive of over 200 of them). The voices he collaborated with for the recording of his songs include Γιώργος Κάβουρας, Ρίτα Αμπατζή, Κώστας Ρούκουνας, Στελλάκης Περπινιάδης, Μαρίκα Φραντζεσκοπούλου (Μαρίκα Πολίτισσα), Κώστας Τσανάκος, Μάρκος Βαμβακάρης, Απόστολος Χατζηχρήστος. Among those, the lion's share belongs to Κάβουρας.

As a lyricist, Σκαρβέλης mostly wrote songs about love. The majority belong to the sub-genre of hasapiko (χασάπικο), of which he explored all variations. His musical signature is considered most representative of the Constantinopolitan urban musical tradition. .