Wikipedia defines Rebetiko primarily as “a term used to designate originally disparate kinds of urban Greek folk music”. These variants have been grouped together since the 1960s, the time of the so-called rebetika revival, which continued to develop further from the early 1970s onwards.

Derived from the Greek word rebetis, which largely refers to a person who embodies aspects of character, dress, behaviour, morals and ethics associated with a particular subculture, Rebetiko’s origins are said to be linked to jails and hash dens, where its early exponents created their songs.

Interestingly, the songs were sung in quiet, hoarse voices; simple, easy melodies to which each singer, accompanied by a bouzouki, would add a verse with no particular connection to the previous verse.

Early rebetika songs were based on Greek folk songs, although nowadays the genre is, in musical terms, a synthesis of elements of European music, Greek Orthodox ecclesiastical chant, music from the various areas of the Greek mainland and islands and the modal traditions of Ottoman art music and cafe music.

This eclectic blend of sounds will be revisited during a live performance by Toubeki, essentially Greek musicians Georgios Yannakakis (tsouras and voice), Vassilis Valdramidis (percussion, baglama and voice) and Maltese musician Andrew Alamango (ud, guitar, baglama and voice).

The performance will be held next Sunday at Coach and Horses in Msida. Entrance is €3 and doors open at 9pm.