Yiannis Anastasopoulos has been one of the most influential proponents of Greek popular music for the last 15 years. His innovative style, especially his melding of oriental sounds and macombs (scales), was utilized by many of the most popular Greek recording artists from 1988 to 2003.

Yiannis is one of the pioneers among keyboard synthesizer players using samples of oriental instruments such as the oud, clarinet, zurna and kanoun. His solo performances with these instruments, combining the versatility of modern electronics, paved the way for other keyboardists who had limited themselves to only western string and piano parts. His ability to fuse Greek and Oriental music created a hybrid that has been revolutionizing both live and studio performances ever since.

Yiannis was born in Montreal, Canada, but it was the music of his father and grandfather (both Greek vocalists and clarinetists from Kalamata, Greece) that captured his soul. His father’s recordings bridging the entire history of Hellenic music provided Yiannis with a remarkable knowledge of this musical culture. At just 13 years of age, he began performing at Greek parties with his father who also taught him Greek folkloric music (Dimotika).

Yiannis is a true multi-instrumentalist. From 7 to 11 years of age, Yiannis studied many instruments beginning with the accordion. From 11 to 16, he studied piano with the Montreal branch of the Greek National Conservatory of Music (Odeon). He then entered McGill University, majoring in music theory and piano. Later on, he continued his studies at the Dick Grove School of Music in Los Angeles, CA.

Beginning at the age of 15, Yiannis has been regularly performing in nightclubs all over North America, initially in Montreal, then over the years in Athens, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Baltimore, and Detroit. During his performances at The Grecian Cave, (Spilia, probably the oldest and most famous Greek Night Club in the Americas), he was discovered by Stratos Dionysiou, the top singer of the day. Dionysiou was so impressed with Yiannis that he insisted he join him as musical director of his nightclub, Stratos, in Athens. This was the beginning of Yiannis' most influential period in the Greek music scene.

Over the next 15 years, Yiannis continued to work the top nightclubs in Greece including Fantasia, Dilina, Posidonion, Abares, Noreida, Haos, Gazi, and Can-Can as musical director and keyboardist.

Some of the vocalists he has shared the stage with are Stratos Dionysiou, Grigoris Bithikotsis, Stamatis Kokotas, Dimitris Kokotas, Lefteris Pantazis, Makis Christodolopoulos, Filipos Nikolaou, Pitsa Papadopoulou, Lena Papadoupoulou, Angie Samiou, Alkeos, Katerina Stanisi, Stamatis Gonidis, Themis Adamadithis, Dimitra Papiou, Klonaridis, Apostolos Nikolaidis, Dimitris Xanthakis, Stelios Perpiniadis, Vicki Moscoliou, Rita Sakelariou, Mary Linda, Poly Panou, Angela Dimitriou, Dionysis Skinas, Elina Konstantopoulou. Pashalis, Andipas, Pashalis Terzis, Constandina, Litsa Diamonti, Manolis Agelopoulos, Marios-Areti Kypreou, Mary Marandi, Lizeta Nikalaou, and Dimitris Mitropanos.

He has performed live with instrumentalists including Lefteris Zervas (violin), Nikos Hatzopoulos (violin), Yiannis Paleologou (bouzouki), Dimitris Vizas (bouzouki), Yorgos Dramalis (bouzouki), Christos Psarros (bouzouki), Vasilis Saleas (clarinet), Yiannis Vasilopoulos (clarinet), Thanassis Vasilopoulos (clarinet), Andreas Mouzakis (drums), and Yorgos Lavranos (drums).

Yiannis is featured on approximately 2,400 recordings. On those recordings, he has worked with many artists including Vasilis Karras, Stamatis Gonidis, Themis Adamadithis, Pitza Papadopoulou, Zafiris Melas, Lefteris Pantazis, Makis Christodolopoulos, Yorgos Margaritis, Tzeni Vanou, Katerina Stanisi, Stratos Dionysiou, Leonidis Velis, and Yiannis Dounias to name just a few.

In addition to performing and mastering several instruments, Yiannis is also a composer. Several of his original compositions include Ma Pou Na Pao (Themis Adamadithis), Ekdilothikes (Stamatis Gonidis), and Ola S’Agapane (Stamatis Gonidis).

Now back in New York, Yannis has joined forces with the Dahdoo Productions team of Richard Khuzami, Rameses, and Dimitrios Hatzisavas. He is lending his formidable skill and talent to the successful marriage of varied ethnic and western influenced music. He has become an essential part of Dahdoo's vision of creating new and exciting music an amalgamation of oriental and occidental musical forms, to create a new vision accessible and enjoyable to all.

One of Yiannis' most recent projects was to produce and arrange Amalia Papastefanou's new release of Aegean Island folkloric music. As for the future, Yiannis plans to bring his expertise to the Greek-American community, creating projects for those who continue to value their Greek heritage, infusing their desire to keep Greek tradition alive through his music and advocacy.