Dimitris Barousis — nicknamed Lorentsas — was one of the older rebetiko musicians and composers. He was almost 40 when he arrived in Piraeus after escaping from Smyrna as it burned in 1922.
In Smyrna, he’d been a merchant but he was also a conservatory-trained violinist. His skills on the violin and knowledge of music stood him in good stead in Athens, where he began playing with other musicians who had been expelled from Smyrna.
As well as playing with and for some of the greats of the era, he started composing, eventually recording about 30 of his own rebetiko compositions. He also made a living transcribing musical scores for other rebetiko payers and singers who did not have that skill.
The Rover of Piraeus is one of several of his songs that were recorded by Rosa Eskanazi.
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