Between 1949 and 1956, Mairi Janet released at least 16 recorded sides, performing with the likes of Markos Vamvakaris (as with this song), Roza Eskenazi and Panos Gavalas. Mostly she sang duets; in only one case was she the lone singer on the disk.
There is frustratingly little information about Janet online. One source claims she was the sister of actor Alekos Tzanetakos. He indeed is reported as having four sisters who adopted the last name Janet (Tzanet in anglicized Greek). His wikipedia page names three sisters who followed him into stage work and movie making – Anna, Nini and Cassie – and identifies the fourth sister as Katerina, about whom nothing is said. Might she have adopted the stage name Mairi?
As is so often the case, without access to deep archives, I’m left with only a few hints, a couple of photos and the recordings. And they really are marvellous, particularly the three songs she recorded with Vamvakaris. Her voice – strong and expressive – balances perfectly with the gruff, earthy sound of Vamvakaris’s singing.
My eyes have seen much was recorded in 1955.
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