Aristides Saisanas (Αριστείδης Σεϊσανάς) was born in Greece but as soon as he came of age he set sail for Israel and began playing his electric take on Greek and Mizrahi music in the nightclubs of the port city of Jaffa to the Tel Aviv hipsters of the late `60s and `70s. His popularity bought him a stake in the clubs, and the co-ownership in turn provided him with friends that included politicians and military leaders (such as Moshe Dayan), to the extent that he was rumoured to have been a spy. Aris then jumped to New York and opened another nightclub, only to be busted for drugs by the FBI. His death in 1992 is subject to skepticism, a la Elvis and Jim Morrison, since few if any of his close associates saw the body. His “Boumpam” is Rhumba Rock like Jack Costanzo drinking tequila with Om Kalsoum, sharing a hookah with Omar Souleyman. Greek Surf. A Turkish telestar. Bollywood Funk. Sir Richard Bishop`s Taqasim Jive. Hank Marvin at your bar / bat mitzvah.

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