Keeping Busy In The Big Apple, Pana Athanatos

Joe Barth checks in with guitarist Pana Athanatos.

Greek guitarist Pana Athanatos keeps himself busy gigging around the New York area.  Studying at the prestigious Philippos Nakas Conservatory in Athens.  In Greece, he was creating a name for himself when he moved to the Netherlands to study at the Prins Claus Conservatory.  Moving to New York City in 2017, he is now an “in-demand” guitarist in the Big Apple.

JB:  Growing up in Greece, what inspired you to play jazz guitar?

 PA:  My dad was very much into music and had great taste, so I was always around it. The thing that made me want to play music was that it felt great doing it with other people, and for other people. I love the social element of it and how it brings people together in the moment. Now, the person who got me into jazz guitar in particular was my guitar teacher, Yiotis Samaras. He ripped me a DVD with a vast range of jazz and rock guitar music from Charlie Christian to Jimi Hendrix, and I immediately fell in love with it. 

JB:  What did you appreciate most about studying at the Philippos Nakas Conservatory in Athens and that era of your development?

PA: The thing I appreciated most was that it gave me the chance to have some very passionate musicians as my mentors. My guitar teacher, Yiotis Samaras, whose teachings still guide me to this day. My music theory teacher, bassist Kostas Konstantinou, taught me to never stop practicing. My ensembles’ teacher, drummer Spiros Panagiotopoulos, who gave me my first chances (when I was still very, very green) to perform alongside seasoned musicians. 

JB:  What did you appreciate most about your time in the Netherlands?

PA: The thing I appreciated most about the Netherlands was the guest teacher program led by Joris Teepe. The school had partnered with Smalls and would bring NYC musicians to spend a few weeks teaching the students. Through it, I met some of the best people in the NY scene, and of course, that’s how I met pianist Spike Wilner, who was kind enough to sponsor my artist visa in the States. 

JB:  To you, in shaping your sound and approach, what are three of the most influential jazz guitar albums and why?

Wes Montgomery:  Smokin’ at the Half Note

This record is the epitome of how a swinging jazz quartet should sound. Wes is at the top of his game, and it’s a perfect example of how important the rhythmic element is in this music. 

Kenny Burrell Trio:  A Night at the Village Vanguard 

A beautiful trio record, perfect for learning how to comp for oneself, only play the blues and swinging lines, and make a guitar trio with no effects sound full. 

Joe Pass:  Virtuoso 

One of my favorite things about guitar is how beautiful it can sound on its own, solo, and this record is one of the best ones ever made in that regard. A great inspiration for anyone looking for how to get creative, tell a story, and reach the audience, all done with incredible virtuosity and subtlety, in the most sincere and natural way.

JB:  What do you find most rewarding and challenging about working in a trio with bass and drums?

PA:  I love how, with a trio, one can explore accompanying oneself. It makes you think about what makes a line a phrase and how rhythm and space play into telling a story. It’s an excellent exercise in staying focused and in the moment, and I love how effective, sensitive, and personal it can be. 

JB:  Tell us about your CD, Rainbowhood.

PA:  Rainbowhood is a collection of some of my songs, a few standards, a couple of solo guitar pieces, and a song by Curtis Mayfield whose music has always inspired me. We recorded it at Smalls in New York, and I only released it on cassettes. It’s a self-production and, in my opinion, captures the sound that we have built through performing together in NYC. 

JB:  Tell me about two of your most memorable performance or recording experiences.

PA:  Two of my favorite gigs in NYC are leading the session at Smalls on Sundays, and my Friday sets at The Red Room in the East Village. Even though they are two very different spaces with different kinds of audiences, they share the fact that the crowd is often on the younger side. It inspires me to see that younger people are into this music; it gives me hope that what we do is not a relic of the past but something that’s very much alive and kicking. 

JB:  What do you appreciate most about the guitar that you use?

PA:  I most often play a Gibson L5 from the ‘80s. It’s a special guitar first and foremost because it used to belong to my teacher, which means that it comes with his seal of approval, and also, it still carries some of his juju. I tend not to be too attached to material things, but I’m certainly very grateful to have it in my life and to get to play it; it’s a great axe. It’s quite heavy, though, I must admit. 

JB:  New York is a town with hundreds of good guitarists. You’ve been there since 2017, so what’s the best piece of advice you’d give younger guitarists for building a career in music?

PA:  Always be yourself, be honest with yourself and with the music, and don’t be afraid to get a side gig; you need money to make it in NYC. 

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