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"VRADINI" newspaper, Tuesday 13 October 1998
STELIOS AND VASSILIS
"Tango Passion"
Music for two flamenco guitars with Stelios Golgaris and Vassilis Mastorakis interpreting compositions of Astor Piazzola, Remo Pignono, Radames Gnattali, Paulo Bellinati, and Sergio Assad.
In their debut recording, the two talented guitarists show their mastery of a music that suits their Mediterranean temperament, through a repertoire of works written by modern Latin American composers.



"ATHENS NEWS" newspaper, Saturday 17 October 1998
Breathing freshness into guitar classics

It is through the younger generation of artists and their sincere love of music that the greats live on. And through this love a new understanding of classic composers is reached and conveyed to the less initiated or those who upon hearing the word "classical" prepare themselves for potential boredom. One thing, however, is certain: up-and-coming classical guitarists Stelios and Vassilis' debut album, entitled "Tango Passion", is far from being boring.

The two young classical guitarists, Stelios and Vassilis, decided to "join" their talents in a collection of representative works by the likes of the master of the bandoneon, Astor Piazzola, Brazilian-born Sergion Assad (the other-half of the highly acclaimed Assad duo), pianist Remo Pignoni, Radames Gnattali and Brazil's top contemporary guitarist Paolo Bellinati. With composers like theses the CD is bound to be a success, but there is more in store...

An attentive listening of "Tango Passion" will reveal clarity of sound and the virtuosity of two musicians who are on their way to forging a musical style of their own. Piazzola's "Verano Porteno" is passionately played, vivacious at times, lyrical at others with ricocheting rhythms of the composer's odd joining of classical, jazz and tango. The duo successfully conveys the intensity and nostalgia of the work through their unforced playing and confident sense of structure.

Pigoni's "Huella", on the other hand, serves as excellent ground for the duo to display their expressive skill. An overall melancholy piece, "Huella" requires both depth of feeling and an eloquently shaped line. Bellinati's prize-winning "Jongo", the guitarists mischievously moving from one music phrase to the other with remarkable ease and without losing the work's sense of flow.

Despite this being their first studio recording, Stelios and Vassilis' interpretations don't fall short on detail and atmosphere. They've managed to add a touch of Greek wit and freshness without imposing any particular style. Occasionally, they add an extra touch of personal emotion whipping up a burst of energy, even for those who wouldn't dare listen to classical guitar works.

"Tango Passion" is well worth exploring whether you are a newcomer or an experienced listener. The diversity of this collection promises a melodic journey from Brazil to Argentina; all you have to do is let the feather-like playing and the pulsing strings of the guitar take you there...

Maria Paravantes



"JAZZ & JAZZ" magazine, November 1998
STELIOS AND VASSILIS
Tango Passion
Sony Classical
The two young musicians, Stelios Golgaris and Vassilis Mastorakis, continue the (Greek and worldwide) tradition of guitar duos. "Tango Passion", their debut album, goes beyond debate. For, only a first-class guitarist would be able to express a valid opinion about their fingerings and any "judgment" about the aesthetic value of their music is, to a great extent, subjective, and therefore debatable, as it depends entirely on the listener's mood.

Having settled all my financial obligations, I decided to sit down and listen to "Tango Passion". I let myself feel the magic of tango and forget about all the nagging details of VAT, receipts and the like.

Fondas Troussas



"IHOS" magazine, November 1998
Stelios and Vassilis: Tango Passion - Works for two guitars by Piazolla, Pignoni, Gnattali, Bellinati, and Assad interpreted by Stelios Golgaris and Vassilis Mastorakis.
Sony SK 60813,
1 compact disk DDD
There is no lack of great guitarists in Greece. Two of them, Stelios Golgaris and Vassilis Mastorakis, have just released their debut CD. The two artists join forces to interpret works by Argentine and Brazilian composers and seem to enjoy it!

Staying perfectly in tune with each other, they give a passionate and sensitive performance, which successfully conveys the essence of the works. Pleasant and relaxing, their CD has an interesting repertoire, which also includes works by lesser-known composers.



"MONOPOLI" magazine, November-December 1998
STELIOS & VASSILIS
Tango Passion
Sony Music
Representatives of the new generation of Greek guitarists, Stelios and Vassilis Mastorakis give a vivid interpretation of works by Latin American composers.

Their CD opens with a staccato interpretation of Astor Piazzola's "Verano Porteno", followed by two more pieces of the much-admired composer. It also includes works by Pignoni, Gnattali, Bellinati, and Assad.

The newly arrived duo impresses through their masterly playing and deep musical empathy (not to mention the excellent recording).

The second half of the disk overflows with feeling. Let it work its magic on you.



"ADESMEFTOS TIPOS" newspaper, Sunday 7 February 1999
A MELODIC JOURNEY TO ARGENTINA WITH STELIOS GOLGARIS AND VASSILIS MASTORAKIS GUITAR DUO
In the rhythm of tango
"Tango Passion", a disk that was created with love and artistry by Stelios Golgaris and Vassilis Mastorakis and was received with great enthusiasm by the critics and the public both in Greece and abroad, will now be presented "live" at "Half Note" Jazz Club this evening at 6 o'clock. A must for those who love tango, jazz, classical music and Latin American dance rhythms.
The two guitarists do not propose an "obsolete" kind of music, but a modern and passionate repertoire, with lively rhythms and colors, taking us on an imaginative trip to Argentina.
Tonight's performance is the first of a series of concerts that the duo will give in Greece and abroad. Stelios Golgaris and Vassilis Mastorakis will take part in the Belgrade Guitar Festival in April, in Santo Tirso Guitar Festival (Portugal) in June and in Mexico Guitar Festival in November.



"VRADINI" newspaper, Saturday 27 February 1999
IN THE RHYTHM OF TANGO
The passion of Argentina in Athens
The Half Note Jazz Club was crammed with friends of music and classical guitar who came to see a different CD presentation by Stelios Golgaris and Vassilis Mastorakis.
The two musicians played "live" all the compositions of their brand new CD, "Tango Passion" by Sony Music, earning the generous applause of the audience.
The famous composer Leo Brouwser, who happened to be in Greece, was also there, enjoying the fabulous music, which included one of his compositions as well.
Dimitris Giarmenitis, the managing director of Sony Music, and Stavros Arapidis, the producer, made the introductory speeches about "Tango Passion".
Among those who attended the concert and enjoyed the Latin American rhythms of the two soloists were Dionysis Tsaknis, Dimitris Bellos, Kostas Tsiolis, and a good number of their students.



"MOUSIKO METRO" magazine, April 1999
"TANGO PASSION" STELIOS & VASSILIS
WITH THE PASSION OF TANGO
The production of classical disks in Greece, especially by Greek musicians, belongs to the sphere of the fantastic... We were therefore pleasantly surprised when two Greek guitarists, Stelios Golgaris and Vassilis Mastorakis, presented "live" their debut CD, "Tango Passion", at Half Note Jazz Club on a cold Sunday evening. Their work is the best proof of their mastery, their impeccable improvisation skill, their warm playing, and their perfect musical empathy (obviously, the result of many hours of hard work).

With their melodiousness, sense of rhythm and sensitivity, the two guitarists seem able to bridge the enormous "gap" between the popular melodies of Argentina and the more recent complex harmonies. Their repertoire includes works by Astor Piazzola, Remo Pignono, Radames Gnattali, Paulo Bellinati, as well as one of Leo Brouwer's most famous compositions. Taking into consideration its high degree of difficulty, this is the standard repertoire expected of them, a repertoire that really suits their Mediterranean temperament. They are internationally acclaimed guitarists, after all.

G.K.

DIPHONO magazine, January 2000
The Greek guitar duo
impresses us once again.
Kostas Kotsiolis communicated his love for Latin American music to all his students. One of them, Stelios Golgaris, proves that his teacher efforts were not in vain. Along with another guitarist, Vassilis Mastorakis, who could also be considered as Kotsiolis' student, although at post-graduate level, they formed "Stelios & Vassilis" guitar duo, which plays, almost exclusively, Latin American music.

In their debut CD, entitled "Tango Passion", they make the best of their theoretical background, experience and talent, thus offering beautifully interpreted -and recorded- works by well-known and lesser-know Latin American composers. However, the names of the persons responsible for the transcription-arrangement of the works that were not written for guitar are not mentioned on the cover and the overall duration is rather short. No doubt, it is quality rather that quantity that counts, but quantity is still important. (Compact Disk SONY CLASSICAL SK60813 [1998] T=42:02)