Saturday: noon Two Rivers, 5:15 p.m. Penobscot; Sunday: noon Two Rivers, 2 p.m. Heritage

Sophia Bilides has been called the foremost practitioner of Smyrneika, a cabaret tradition born of Asia Minor Greek refugees in the 1930s and ’40s. A second-generation Greek-Italian American now residing in Boston, Bilides was raised in New Haven, Conn., absorbing the musical influences of her father’s Permata (Asia Minor) Greek community.

For three millennia, Asia Minor, also called Anatolia (Turkey), was home to several million Greeks, part of a vibrant culture that was shattered when conflicts led to the 1922 Asia Minor Catastrophe: the destruction of the port city of Smyrna (Izmir), the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives, and the expulsion of 2 million Greeks from their homeland. This exodus of Asia Minor Hellenes resulted in the dissolution of communities, the dispersion of traditions, and a new societal caste – the Anatolian refugee. Fortunately, highly skilled musicians from Smyrna and Constantinople managed to keep alive and further develop their urban musical traditions by bringing their cosmopolitan talents to the Greek mainland and to America.

One of the most prominent styles to flourish was the cabaret tradition known as Smyrneika (of Smyrna), urban songs born in the cafe-aman (Anatolian tavern). Richly intricate melodies and popular singalong refrains are set to sensual dance rhythms accompanied on the santouri, outi, violi, clarino, lyra, kanoun, kythara, doumbeleki and zilia. The colorful lyrics revolve around the universal topics of love, nostalgia for the lost homeland and the celebration of life. These songs require a combination of superb vocal skills and a flair for entertaining on the part of the singers.

Onstage, Bilides translates her songs, with the goal of transporting audiences to the cordial and intimate atmosphere of an Anatolian tavern. Accompanying herself on santouri (hammered dulcimer) and zilia (finger cymbals), she will be joined by Mike Gregian on doumbeleki (drum) and Tom Babbin on kythara (guitar).

Bilides has performed the songs of her Asia Minor Greek heritage for 20 years at concert halls, clubs and festivals throughout North America at such venues as Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City and Boston’s Hatch Concert Shell. She is the recipient of an Individual Artist Folklore Award from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and was featured in a Singing Traditions tour by the National Endowment for the Arts.