MUSIC FOR HARMONY
Music unites. Music harmonizes the humanity and the world. So long as a musical performance is in session, the audience remains united. United in their mutual appreciation, in their understanding of the story being told, and in their acknowledgement of excellence. That is because music has the power and ability to stir the senses, bring people together, trigger the emotions, and transcend the boundaries of hearts and minds.
The Edition presents World Music – an ensemble of 7 bands from 7 countries.
BARBATUQUES – BRAZIL
They make music using their bodies. Formed in 1995 in São Paulo, Brazil, the 13-member band – Barbatuques – uses a fusion of styles and aesthetics, reaffirming the essence of the band’s ‘body music’ sound, human inclusivity and Brazillianess.
In their music, Barbatuques introduced to the world, different techniques of body percussion, like hand-clapping, whispers, finger claps, chest hitting, tap dancing, etc, resulting in rhythms like samba or rap, vocal percussion, tap dancing and a variety of other musical improvisations.
Among the several important events and international tours, Barbatusques has participated in, the band performed ইন the closing ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, African World Cup (2010), official FIFA event in Johannesburg to announce the 2014 World Cup; the International Body Music Festival (in the USA, Brazil and Turkey); Festival Europalia (2011, Belgium), Paleo and Ella Fritzgerald in Geneva (Switzerland – 2008), Festival de Nyon (France – 2008), Festival Lollapalooza Brasil (2014), and in WOMEX (2019).
This group also left its mark of melody in the soundtrack of the award-winning film “O Melino o Mundo”, by Alê Abreu, together with Naná Vasconcelos and Emicida, and acted in the coordination and preparation of the entire cast of Rede Globo for the videoclip “Um Novo Tempo”, the traditional end-of-year message from the station. In addition, Barbatuques is present in the soundtrack of the documentary Educação.doc (2014), by Lais Bodansky and Luis Bolognesi.
Draped in body percussion and RAP, Barbatusques tracks are steeped in Brazillian folk. This track, Sambalele, is a children folk number. The band can be reached at producao@barbatuques.com.br
EIVOR PALSDOTTIR – FAROE ISLANDS
Eivør Pálsdóttir, known mononymously as Eivør, is a Faroese singer-songwriter and actress. Eivør has a very diverse taste, and all of her albums are different from one other which ranges from rock, jazz and folk to pop and European classical music.
Eivør says that “knowing where I come from is important, and I bring along my roots on my musical journey because I have always been inspired by nature and by hearing music from a variety bof musical styles”. She released her first album containing a mixture of traditional Faroese ballads and new songs written by her and her band and performed with a folksy/jazzy feel.
Eivør is the recipient of the following awards: 2006 Planet Awards – Best female singer (Faroese music awards), 2009 Planet Awards – Best female singer, 2006 Best Danish female folk from Jylland (Årets danske Folk Vokalist), 2012 Planet Awards – Best female singer / Best artist / Best album for Room, 2013 Nominated for the Nordic Council Music Prize, 2013 DJBFA (Danish Jazz, Beat and Folkmusic Authors) Award, 2021 The Nordic Council Music Prize. This track, Trodlabundin from the album Trodlabundin, she performed at an outdoor concert with Vamp on the mountain farm Stigen, a UNESCO World Heritage site (2005) in Aurland. She tweets @eivormusic
TETSEO SISTERS – INDIA
The Tetseo Sisters are a quartet of sister band of Naga folk fusion music who have spent their young lives promoting the nearly forgotten music of the Chakhesang Naga tribe that they inherited from their parents. They are musicians, folk artists and storytellers, and, most importantly, they are cultural ambassadors from the Northeast of India. They like to call themselves storytellers who present songs passed down the traditional oral way to their audiences with a contemporary twist. Hailing from Kohima, the capital city of Nagaland, they write and sing in the Chokri Naga dialect as well as English and Hindi. An ‘a cappella’ style of singing combined with storytelling, and the occasional use of one-stringed instrument tati or heka libuh (mithun horn), their compositions are mostly lores on Nagaland.
Their performance has won them numerous awards and accolades including the Trail Blazer Award at the 4th Nagaland Music Awards in 2012, Eastern Panorama Achievers Award for excellence in Music in 2014, North East Young Hero Award 2020 in Music and Entertainment, Thüvopisümi Global Excellence Awards 2021 amongst others.
This band has been the recipient of many awards, including the Trail Blazer Award at the 4th Nagaland Music Awards in 2012 and Eastern Panorama Achievers Award for excellence in Music in 2014, North East Young Hero Award 2020 in Music and Entertainment, and the Thüvopisümi Global Excellence Awards 2021 and the Nagaland Governor’s Award for excellence in Music amongst others.
They have toured different countries, staged shows and have performed at the Ladakh Music Festival, Summer Storm Music Festival and the Hornbill Festival.
Adorned in the traditional Naga dresses, the sisters presents ‘Li’ or the songs of the people, a celebration of the unique Naga way of life, in a way it has been rarely portrayed. The band tweets @TetseoSisters
FARAN – ISRAEL
The Faran Ensemble was formed in 2009 by three musicians sharing similar musical vibes and values, who decided to embark together on a spiritual quest. Their journey, expressed in music and sound, reflects the beauty of nature, travelling through different sceneries, from the clean and quiet desert to luscious green hills, sometimes even passing through the hectic noise of the city.
Their instruments belong to the ancient traditions of the east, allowing the musicians to combine mystical sounds with modern influences. In their music, Mediterranean landscapes weave an enchanted soundscape, a magic carpet to take the listener on a voyage to faraway lands.
The ensemble’s name, Faran, refers to Wadi Faran, a dry desert riverbed which in winter fills with water and life and in summer is silent and pristine. The Faran crosses three countries, but ignores all artificial human borders.
The Faran Ensemble recorded its first studio album, simply named Faran, in 2012. The independently produced album comprises of seven compositions, four of them featuring guest musicians. The album, which is available for sale, was reviewed in the September 2014 issue of Songlines Magazine, published in the UK. In 2014, the Faran Ensemble participated in the International Jewish Music Festival of Amsterdam contest. Where it won the grand prize, in addition to additional prizes for best composition and best Israeli talent. The ensemble also participated in the Jewish Culture Festival of Karkow, the Jerusalem Sacred Music Festival, the International Showcase for Jazz and World Music Festival in Tel Aviv, the Yearot Menashe Festival and more.
The Instruments
Kamancheh
The Kamancheh is an ancient Persian string bowed instrument, also used in Turkish, Azeri, Armenian and other musical traditions. It is related to the rebab and to the Byzantine lyra, from which the modern European violin derives. The instrument is played with a variable-tension bow, and its name is derived from the Persian word for little bow – “kaman-cheh.” Modern instruments have 4 strings (sometimes 5) and a wooden resonating chamber covered with a fish skin membrane. The Kamancheh is played upright, and often stirs a very wide range of emotions, longings to faraway lands never seen.
Percussion
Rhythm is as eternal as a heartbeat and at least as ancient as mankind. The percussion instruments in the Faran Ensemble include the daf – a large Persian frame drum, made of hardwood with a goatskin membrane, with metal ringlets adding to its tone, the udu – a clay water jug, with a hole to allow production of a bass sound, used by women in ceremonies in some African cultures – and various other percussion instruments such as cymbals, tambourine and bells. The different membranes, jugs and drums, all beat together with our hearts, as our soul sings to the rhythm.
Oud
The Oud is one of the world’s most ancient musical instruments, mentioned in writings as old as the 3rd century BC. It is a pear-shaped plucked string instrument, commonly used in Arabic, Turkish, Jewish and other musical traditions. As Islam spread to Europe, so did the Oud, where it was called it ‘la oud’ – which in time evolved into the lute, and later on the guitar.
Oud in Arabic means “wood,” and the instrument is made completely of wood. Its sound, too, deep and dry, sends deep roots, from which ancient dreams and modern sentiments can grow.
The trio can be reached at shiranael@gmail.com
THE HU – MONGOLIA
The HU is a band from Mongolia that blends heavy metal and traditional Mongolian throat singing. Their first two videos (“Yuve Yuve Yu” and “Wolf Totem”) immediately went viral garnering the band over 100 million views. The explosive reaction to The HU resulted in a number of features about the band in international media such as NPR, ET India Times, Playboy Mexico, Jack Canal+Fr, Hong Kong 01, DW News Germany and others.
The band’s name – The HU – is the Mongolian root word for human being. They call their style “Hunnu Rock” inspired by the Hunnu, an ancient Mongolian empire, known as The Huns in western culture. Some of the band’s lyrics include old Mongolian war cries and poetry.
Founded in 2016 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia by their producer Dashka, along with the members Gala, Jaya, Temka, and Enkush. The HU combines Rock Music with traditional Mongolian instrumentation like the Morin Khuur (horsehead fiddle), Tovshuur (Mongolian guitar), Tumur Khuur (jaw harp), guttural throating singing and the bombastic bass and drums of rock. All four members have earned Bachelor’s or higher degrees in music and have several years of touring experience throughout Asia and the Pacific Rim.
The HU has performed at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in California and other international music festivals in Indonesia, Japan, Australia, Argentina, Brazil and Chile. The band has staged shows in more than 30 states across the US and around the world. In 2019 The Hu was awarded the highest state award for Mongolia, the Order of Genghis Khan, for promoting Mongolian culture around the world. This Mongolian band can be reached at tuga@thepridemgmt.com
DAKHABRAKHA – UKRAINE
DakhaBrakha — is world-music quartet from Kyiv, Ukraine. Reflecting fundamental elements of sound and soul, Ukrainian «ethnic chaos» band DakhaBrakha, create a world of unexpected new music.
The name DakhaBrakha is original, outstanding and authentic at the same time. It means give/take in the old Ukrainian language.
DakhaBrakha was created in 2004 at the Kyiv Center of Contemporary Art «DAKH» by the avant-garde theatre director — Vladyslav Troitskyi. Theatre work has left its mark on the band performances — their shows have never been staged without the scenic effects.
Having experimented with Ukrainian folk music, the band has added rhythms of the surrounding world into their music, thus creating bright, unique and unforgettable image of DakhaBrakha. It will help to open up the potential of Ukrainian melodies and to bring it to the hearts and consciousness of the younger generation in Ukraine and the rest of the world as well.
Accompanied by Indian, Arabic, African, Russian and Australian traditional instrumentation, the quartet’s astonishingly powerful and uncompromising vocal range creates a trans-national sound rooted in Ukrainian culture.
At the crossroads of Ukrainian folklore and theatre their musical spectrum is intimate then riotous, plumbing the depths of contemporary roots and rhythms, inspiring «cultural and artistic liberation».
DakhaBrakha has played concerts and performances and has taken part in numerous international festivals in Ukraine, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Austria, Slovenia, Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Rumunia, Italy, Spaine, Portugal, Greece, Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norvegia, Belarus, Georgia, Hungary, Poland, Chine, Australia, USA, Canada, Colombia, New Zealand, Brazil.
DakhaBrakha has common project with such a musicians: Port Mone (By), Kimmo Pohjonen Cluster (Fi), Karl Frierson (DePhazz) (Ge), Steve Cooney (IRL), Inna Zhelannaya (Ru), Kievbass (UA), Djam (UA-Iran), David Ingibaryan (Hu).
In March 2010 DakhaBrakha won one of the most prestigious Grand Prix prize named after S.Kuriokhin in the sphere of contemporary art and confirmed its actuality once again. In March 2011 DakhaBrakha became the discovery of Australian Womadelaide. This band can be reached at dakhabrakha@ukr.net. Please Note: Due to the current crisis, the band is not staging shows now but will perform later.
BURANOVSKIYE BABUSHKI – RUSSIA
Buranovskiye Babushki are a group of “grannies” from Udmurtia, a republic between the Kama and Vyatka rivers in Russia. In March, they won the Russian national final against several stars including the former Eurovision winner Dima Bilan, and now they will try to conquer Europe with their unique style.
Buranovskiye Babushki (Buranovo Grannies) is a folk group from the village of Buranovo in Malopurginsky area in the Udmurt Republic, Russian Federation. The eldest member of the group is 77 years old.
Buranovskiye Babushki became known in 2008, when a television report about them was shown in the news programme of the television channel “Russia”. They have been covering Russian and Western popular songs by Aquarium, Kino, The Beatles, Queen, and Shocking Blue. These covers were sung in Udmurt, citing folk music influences.
Later Buranovskiye Babushki came surprisingly third in the Russian Eurovision qualifying contest in 2010. Afterwards they took part in a large number of television shows and concerts including a special performance at the open air festival “Rock above Volga” with more than 200,000 fans. They performed on the same stage with Jose Carreras and Emir Kusturica, and toured through Estonia and France.
This band of grandmothers released Ole Ole a number to commemorate the Russian hosted FIFA World Cup 2018. They are reachable on their Facebook page.
The bands have been featured based on their international music festival exposure. Video and information courtesy : Respective Bands.
DONATE TO THE EDITION
The Edition 