"Loxandra" (Λωξάντρα) ensemble was founded in 1997 in Thessaloniki (Greece) by percussionist Loukas Metaxas and kanun player Dimitris Vasiliadis. Kyriakos Tapakis was also "Loxandra's" oud player from the beginning. They started playing music from the "café aman", the places that the Rum people (Greek immigrants from Minor Asia, Cappadokia and Istanbul) played the songs of Turkish "meyhane" (tavernas), after they had come to Greece. That music is believed to be the "Mother of Rempetiko", the music of the Greek "underground" people.