Giorgis Xylouris

Giorgos "George" Xylouris (, born September 25, 1965), also known as Psarogiorgis (Greek: Ψαρογιώργης), is a Cretan laouto player and singer.

Xylouris was born into a musical family (his father is Psarantonis (Antonis Xylouris), himself born in 1937; his uncle Nikos Xylouris (1936-1980); his cousin -Nikos's son- Giorgis Xylouris (1960-2015), etc.?), and he grew up in Anogeia, their mountain village in Crete, with a rich musical culture. Xylouris started playing the Cretan laouto, a relative of the lute, at an early age, guided by his uncle Psarogiannis. From eleven years old, he would accompany his father at village functions, and participate in recordings. Giorgos lived for eight years in Melbourne, Australia, where he formed the Xylouris Ensemble "in the early 1990s". Two of the Xylouris Ensemble's albums, Antipodes (1998) and Drakos (1999), were nominated for the ARIA Fine Arts Awards in Australia. The Xylouris Ensemble later expanded to include a younger generation of players, including Psarogiorgis' sons Nikos and Adonis Xylouris.

Xylouris has performed extensively both in his native Crete, in his second home Australia, and internationally at world music festivals, collaborating with musicians from both folk and rock traditions, including Australian drummer Jim White in the duo Xylouris White, and with Bill Callahan and Bonnie "Prince" Billy on their 2021 album Blind Date Party.

Discography Albums Title Details Xylouris Ensemble Released: 1995 Daphne Released: 1996 Antipodes Released: 1998 Label: Hi-Gloss Records Drakos Released: 1999 Label: Hi-Gloss Records Antipodes 2 Released: 2002 Label: Σείστρον Live in Melbourne Released: 2010 Label: Xylouris Ensemble In a Strange Land / Επί Γης Αλλοτρίας Released: 2011