dimitris baslam

ο γαργαληστής

του Δηµήτρη Μπασλάµ

ο γαργαληστής

του Δηµήτρη Μπασλάµ µε εικονογράφηση

του Βίκτωρα Μοσχόπουλου

He grew up in northern Greece and moved to the city of Thes-saloniki when he was 16. He participated in numerous con-certs and has worked for the music and recording industry with artists from various genres, either as a musician, a producer or an orchestrator. He is also an author, a music composer and a verse writer. In 2013, he has been awarded with the national prize for his children’s illustrated book under the title, «The angry mixer» from the Department of Literature, Books & Digital Content of the Division of Cultural Policy Implementation of the Directorate General of Contemporary Culture, Greek Ministry of Culture, Education and Religious Affairs. This book has also been in-cluded in the White Ravens catalogue (A Selection of Interna-tional Children’s and Youth Literature). In 2017, his book “Pithanotētes” (Possibilities) was also added to the White Ra-vens catalogue. The University of Cyprus has commissioned him to write an educational children’s book about knowledge, research and science entitled, “Sofia. A bee who liked to read” (2015), which has been published and distributed to libraries and book stores all over Cyprus. Besides his personal albums, he has composed music for the cinema and the theatre. As a producer, he organized and supervised various cultural activities and special projects such as festivals, events and special editions. Besides his own productions, he participated as a screenwriter and director in the animated film “The must cookies of Agisilagos” (2014), he directed together with Dιmιtris Soteriou the dance theatre “The baritone’s shoes” (Corfu Municipal and Regional Theatre) and the puppet theatre with live music “Agisilagos” (T theatre, 2016). Almost all of his books have been transferred on stage, usually as musicals or puppet shows with live music. He taught the class “Special issues in children’s and youth orchestras” in the postgraduate program of the Music and Art Department of the University of Macedonia (2015) and music at the Department of Traditional Music of the Technological Educational Institute of Epirus.

ο γαργαληστής

του Δηµήτρη Μπασλάµ

ο γαργαληστής

του Δηµήτρη Μπασλάµ µε εικονογράφηση

του Βίκτωρα Μοσχόπουλου

The angry mixer

In a region suffocated by overdevelopment, all construction work suddenly has to cease. Construction machines and tools revolt! They tear everything down so that they can rebuilt it and keep being busy. But, when they pause for a second to look behind the ruins -they get to see for the first time the clear blue sky and the green of the grass and discover the meaning of words like “rest” and “leisure”- their attitude changes.

Even the authoritative cement mixer Kiki, joins the rest of the machines and tools on their quest for new employment, aiming at improving the quality of life.

They said about the book:

By introducing tempo changes and cleverly placed pauses, author and musi-cian Dimitris Baslam gives his impulsive text a wonderful rhythm, which Kostas Markopoulos translates into explosive, colorful illustrations that draw on con-structivist graphic elements.

The book is made with high quality paper and is carefully bound by thread-stitching. Combined with its reader-friendly format, these details make the book a collector’s item.

If…

According to the White Ravens issue, 2017:

A point at the end of a path is also the beginning of new one. But in which direc-tion? Definitely not back! Left, right or straight? All directions at once? Time and space don’t allow such a thing. Should one roll the dice or perhaps toss a coin? When all is a matter of “if”, the freedom to make decisions may no longer be liberating.

In this book, Dimitris Baslam, an author and musician who has received the Greek national award, offers young readers philosophical insight to reflect on the nature of possibility and hypotheticals. In a simple, clear and yet playful manner, he accompanies them into the realm of concrete logical thinking. The pictures of internationally renowned illustrator Daniela Stamatiadi aptly express the texts, revealing sophisticated links between the abstract and the concrete. The book’s threaded binding, its format and its textured paper make this a con-vincing whole.

The Tickle Thief

A famous strange robber lived a long time ago in an eastern land far away from the snow. In stories and fairy tales his name was him Tickle Thief. Those who knew him better, just called him Cliff. All of his feats were said to be strange. Strange, but much envied, like of his traits.His bionic ears were just one of those. When a butterfly flew, he could hear it up close. Not to mention his nose. He would sniff like a hound and tell every smell right for five miles around. His face and his walk surely captured the eye, you’d never forget him if you saw his pass by. Tall and thin, black hair, dark eyes and a red crooked nose – like a bird of paradise. He stood proud and silent like a gentleman true. When he walked he looked straight like a long billiard cue. He always kept with him his red checked bag. A brown overcoat was hanging his arm.Round the world he had travelled, every land he had seen. There is no such place where he never had been.From the huts in the dessert where the Beduins dwell, to the cold southern seas where the penguins swim well…

This peculiar character can actually see the pure flowing laughter of children. Even though he could use his ability for his own benefit, he decides –like a new Robin Hood- to spread the laughter he accumulates during the night among the unfortunate children who don’t laugh.

The musical play staged in Megaron-The Athens Concert Hall in 2009, was based on the book.

Agisilagos

Agisilagos is a quiet hare chef who lives in the woods cooking original recipes with numerous ingredients.

But, one day he woke up with mumps! In panic, he assumed that his disease was caused by his diet. Thus, his adventurous journey begins to find this one and only food ingredient that would cure him.

Still, his obsessive consumption of selective ingredients results in the change of his skin color. And so, sometimes being red, green or yellow, he keeps on searching for a cure. During his journey, he encoun-ters a talking tree, a bizarre pelican doctor, a badger with funny hair and patent leather shoes, a camel with bikinis, a hippo on a diet…flying lemonfish and even a bow-tie in love, all of whom are trying to tell him that he is doing things the wrong way.

The fairy tale, which is trying to teach children to maintain a balanced diet, was widely embraced by children in preschool and primary school and has inspired theatre professional and teachers to develop theatrical plays and games around its story.

The book’s story has been transferred on stage in the form of a puppet show, in the Foundation for the Hellenic World in Athens in 2017-2018.

Sofia the bee

A beehive consisting of 1,450 bees has disappeared somewhere in Mexico. And no one knows why…

Sofia, a young curious bee, decides to take on the challenge and solve this mystery. Her research leads her to books and books to knowledge, thus to the realization that all answers to the mysteries of life can be found in Science.

The book is about the benefits of knowledge, science and the joy of doing research. It was commissioned and published by the University of Cyprus. The story of Sofia was transferred on stage in the form of a puppet show with live music by the Cyprus Theatre Organisation and the University of Cyprus, in 2017-2018.

Δημήτρης Μπασλάμ Λέω να πετάξω

I am about to fly…

A balloon up high in the sky. So high it can reach open space. Then, it slowly starts to deflate and to descent, until it touches the soft grass.

A story about the cycle of Life.

WWWW

The must cookies of Agisilagos

A story about viticulture and wine making.

Agisilagos, our hare chef, decides to bake some must cookies but he has no must. So, he starts looking for it but his timing is always wrong.

The book is divided into the Four Seasons, displaying the processes that take place during different periods of the year in vineyards and wineries.

In addition to the book, a 20’ long animation film has been produced as an educa-tional tool for young children.

The baritone’s shoes

The baritone, Mr. Charitonos, has an obsession with the musical note “La”. This stresses him out so much he sweats and suffers from feet swelling, an event that doesn’t go unnoticed of course. As a result, he keeps visiting his favorite shoemaker, Mr. Lavrentis, who in turn provides him with larger and larger sizes of shoes, reaching eventually the amazing size of 69!

There is nobody and nothing that can calm Mr. Charitonos down. Not even love or the constantly playful disposition of his pianist assistant or the positive comments by the Maestro…

The story of the book was transferred on stage in the form of a dance theatre production by the Corfu Municipal Theatre in 2015.

Contact detailsDimitris Baslam (writer, composer)Tel. 0030 6978122487Email: dimitrisbaslam@gmail.com