Spiros Exaras
Composer
Born and raised in Greece, Spiros studied classical guitar and Music Composition at the Athens Conservatory of Music, where he obtained his Master's degree. He also attended a two-year seminar in Jazz improvisation and Orchestration.
Spiros became the guitarist of choice by numerous prominent composers and performers at an early age. He has performed and recorded with Elias Andriopoulos, Kostas Hatzis, Antonis Kalogiannis, Alkistis Protopsalti among others.
The lead guitarist at the Greek National Radio and Television Orchestra (ERT) for two years, he has also performed in several projects with the Orchestra of Colors (Homage to Leonard Bernstein, 1996 and Tribute to The Beatles, 1996).
As a member of a thirty-piece orchestra, he participated in the Shirley Bassey Concert at the Herod Atticus Theater (Athens, 1990).
Spiros taught Classical and Jazz guitar, as well as Music Theory for five years throughout Greece.
In 1992 Spiros releases his first personal CD with MBI Records,adopting and performing the music of the great Greek composer Kostas Hatzis.
The same year he relocates to the US, he focuses mainly in jazz music and works with many prominent performers and composers such as Randy Brecker, Harvie S. , Mark Egan and Philip Hamilton (from tha Pat Metheny Group), Mike Pope, Andy Middleton, Sal Giorgiani, Donny McCaslin, Charles Blenzig, Etienne Stadwjick, Richie Morales, Henry Hey, Matthew Garrison, Gene Lake as well as Joel Rosenblatt and Tom Schuman (from Spyro Gyra). He crossed over into Pop Music by playing the guitar solo at the Mariah Carey's single hit "My All" (Sony Music 1998).
His appearance credits include Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center (NYC), Saint John the Divine (NYC), "Megaron" of Music (Athens, Greece), Herod Atticus Theater (Athens, Greece), and numerous concerts around Europe and the US.
Spiros has composed music for the feature film "Everything for a Reason", the short film " Niko's Restaurant" and the theatrical play " Gallatea".
"Phrygianics" is Spiro's latest Jazz CD in which he crosses-over into World Music, bringing together some of the world's most renowned musicians as Henry Hey, Matthew Garisson, Gene Lake, Arto Tuncboyaciyan and Lefteris Bournias. It has been released with Blue Note Records in 2003.
In the summer of 2004 Spiros toured with one of the biggest Greek composers of today,Evanthia
Reboutsika.
