Marshall Plan Kids

The Marshall Plan Kids started as a duet by George Panagiotakopoulos and Pavlo Vacatatsis in New York in 1985. They recorded a collection of songs under the title "Life in the Den of Thieves" and independently released in cassette format ( 1987 ). After a 6 year hiatus they reunite in Athens, Greece and along with some old friends they record a ten song cd. The group from a duet evolves to a 7 piece combo (Nicos Doikas on bass, Akis Perdikis on drums, Vassilis Spiropoulos on guitar, Nikos Spiropoulos on keyboards and guitar, Constantin Hliavoras on guitar.

They recorded a collection of songs under the title "Life in the Den of Thieves" and independently released in cassette format ( 1987 ).

After a 6 year hiatus they reunite in Athens, Greece and along with some old friends they record a ten song cd. The group from a duet evolves to a 7 piece combo (Nicos Doikas on bass, Akis Perdikis on drums, Vassilis Spiropoulos on guitar, Nikos Spiropoulos on keyboards and guitar, Constantin Hliavoras on guitar. George played keyboards and did the sound Engineering and Pavlo wrote the songs and did the singing. In addition to all that they are joined in the studio (Syn Ena ) by Tina Bell (vocals ) and Antonis Liberidis (guitar). The cd was named "Up & Out in Athens" and was released by Antithesis Records of S.Carolina.

The year 2000 the group recorded and released a same title album which was released in March of 2000 by Green Cookie Records.

A few words about the players:

Jeff Kraus ? [Drums] (graduate of Manhattan School of Music) has been performing for thirty years working with many of the century's musical icons. Lucas Foss, George Crumb, Frank Zappa, Steve Reich, Aretha Franklin, Tonny Bennet and Dave Brubeck form a partial list of his eclectic endeavors.Last year he toured Japan with the ?New York Ragtime Orchestra? and performed with ?New Band? in London's Barbicon Center. This year he is performing with Dave Brubeck. Recordings: Nonesuch, Columbia, Golden Crest, Tomato, CRI, Opus One and Phillips.

Yianni Kourbetis ? [Keyboards] (graduate of City College in Composition) has performed in the past with the New York based group ?Megaton ?.

The performances of Jay Elfenbein ? [Bass, Viola da gamba], have been described by the N.Y. Times as ?virtuosic? played magnificently? and ?with virtuosic flair?. A graduate of Juliard he has performed with both early and modern orchestras such as St. Luke's, Boston Baroque, Concert Royal, Handel and Haydn Society, and the American Symphony, and has appeared as a gamba soloist in both Bach Passions throughout the Northeastern United States. He has recorded for Sony Classics, CBS, PGM and Newport Classics among others.

Constantin Hliavoras - [Lead Guitar] is a GIT (Los Angeles) graduate and in the past 20 years has performed with rock bands in New York City.He has recorded for EMI, FM, and Antithesis Records.He participated with Pavlo Vacatatsis in the recording of ?Up and Out in Athens ? album. (Athens 1993)

Rob Susman - [Trombone] has performed with Latin stars La India and Frankie Ruiz, and jazz artist Chico O'Farrill at major music festivals all over the world. He has also performed with rock legends Jay and the Americans as well as the Orhestra for the School of the American Ballet. He is teaching at New York University.

Kim Laskowski - [Bassoon ? Recorder] is a Juliard graduate and attended the Paris Conservatoir on a Fulbright scholarship. She presently is a member of the NY City Ballet Orchestra and is the principal of the New York Chamber Symphony. She has made numerous recordings (including 2 platinum records with the band ?10,000 Maniacs?) and has performed with The Moody Blues, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Tonny Bennet, Cab Calloway, Aaron Neville and Sting among others.

Zaharis Kalaitzis - [Percussion] is a World Music follower and has performed with numerous Ethnic bands in New York City.

Pavlo Vacatatsis ? [vocals, guitar, keyboards, and harmonica] has been writing songs for the past 30 years. He has performed in the early eighties with the rock band ?Missing Page? in New York City and with ?Spyridoula? in Greece (1982). Previous Albums: ?Strength of Materials? (1979), ?Naylon Defia kai Psofia Kefia ?(1982), ?Life in the Den of Thieves?(1986), ?Up and Out in Athens? (1993), ?Dry winds in the Bowery? (1997).

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