Pick and Mix with accordion flair from Greece, Mongolia, Acadia and the world via the Silk Road Ensemble
Rebetien band is a Greek four piece of young players who deliberately create a nostalgic sound reminiscent of the gramophone records’ period. The players are all virtuosos who emphasize the natural, acoustic sound of their instruments: accordion, bass-guitar, bouzouki and violin. Rebetien band brings its strangely seductive olde world charm to WOMAD.
Greek traditional music Rebetien band plays WOMAD Photo: [https://www.rebetien-music.com] rebetien-music.com 2018 ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚ
Suzie LeBlanc is a French-Canadian soprano from New Brunswick, a district once part of Acadia where the first French colony in North America established in 1604. Eventually many of the French were forced out after England took control. LeBlanc is an early music specialist with a passion for unearthing the lost musical heritage of Acadia and has recorded several CD’s reflecting it. You’ll be drawn in by her gorgeous voice as she performs the loveliest songs from her heritage. All the songs feature accordion.
Urna Chahar-Tugchi, known as Urna, is a Mongolian singer and yangquin player. She comes from the grasslands of Inner Mongolia, a society where song was a part of everyday life, until traditional singing was banned during the cultural revolution. Urna featured in the film “The two horses of Genghis Khan” in 2008 which put the spotlight on Mongolian culture. She often work with musicians from other cultures; her album Ser, with Polish folk group Kroke, is on the World Music charts and features accordion, bass, viola and Urna on yangqin.
Mongolian singer Urna Chahar-Tugchi Photo: Kerstin Stelter
The Silk Road Ensemble is about to make its NZ debut at Auckland Arts Festival and WOMAD. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma began the group in 2000 when he gathered together musicians from different cultures across Asia, the Middle East and the Mediterranean to make a musical language that reflects our global society, minus borders. It’s now famous through the film The Company of Strangers.
The Silk Road Ensemble featuring Cristina Pato and Wu Tong Photo: Max Whittaker https://www.silkroad.org/
Music details:
TRAD: Gri Gri - Rebetien (rebetien-music.com)
TRAD: Pagratiotissa - Rebetien (rebetien-music.com)
TRAD: Vrakadikos - Rebetien (rebetien-music.com)
TRAD: Le long de la mer jolie - Suzi LeBlanc (Atma ACD 2 2330)
TRAD: La belle se promène - Suzi LeBlanc (Atma ACD 2 2330)
TRAD: Valse d'Evangeline - Suzi LeBlanc (Atma ACD 2 2330)
TRAD: Zandan Hureng - Urna Chahar-Tugchi (Urna Chahar-Tugchi / Uct)
TRAD: Jigder Nana - Urna Chahar-Tugchi (Urna Chahar-Tugchi / Uct)
TRAD: Undur Uul - Urna Chahar-Tugchi (Urna Chahar-Tugchi / Uct)
ABOU-KHALIL: Arabian Waltz - Silk Road Ensemble (Sony Classical 8869 710319-2)
TRAD: St James Infirmary Blues - Silk Road Ensemble (Sony 88875 181012)
