Yorgo Bacanos

Yorgo Bacanos (, ; 21 September 1900 - 24 February 1977 ) was a master oud player and improvisational composer of Ottoman classical music. His father Haralambos (known as in Turkish) was of Greek Romani descent, and a legendary lavta and oud improviser. His brother Aleko Bacanos, his uncle Anastasios Leontaridis, his cousins Paraschos and Lambros Leontaridis and his grandfather Leondi Efendi were well-known kemençe players, and his grandfather Ligori Efendi played the kanun. His father was largely responsible for introducing the young Yorgo to music, presenting him with his first oud at the age of five. Yorgo attended the prestigious Lycée Saint Benoît in Istanbul, but soon left to concentrate on music full-time. He had made his first public appearance in the Eftalofos Club in Taksim at the age of twelve.

After his debut, he travelled to Cyprus and Egypt to perform, and upon his return to Turkey his fame grew quickly.

He played with the other masters of his era, including Münir Nurettin Selçuk and Zeki Müren in Turkey, and Umm Kulthum and Munir Bashir in the Arab world. Yorgo Bacanos also gave concerts in many European countries, and became one of the finest and most renowned oud players of his time (alongside Udi Hrant Kenkulian). His technique and musicality proved influential, and his distinctive variations are still being performed at present.