Tradiitonal Archives - Athens Music Week

NAKED (RS)

Fri, 21 May 2021 18:32:49 +0000

The name NAKED stays for open heart and uncovered soul. Ideas of freedom, hope and love have always inspired Serbian band NAKED to create music, firmly rooted in unique mix of traditional Balkan, global urban, swing, funk, undeniably beats, odd rhythms and free-jazz relishes.

NAKED has started in 2007. Collaborating for over a decade, they have released four albums and ready to release the fifth one in summer, performed around the world from Chile to Korea and at festivals like Colours of Ostrava, EXIT, Read See Jazz Festival, ACC festival, to name a few.

A gypsy violin, saxophone and clarinet converse with the melody accompanied by a tight, upbeat bass and drum section. Together they generate a sense of updated- global-urbanism and accurate synergy by diversity, a natural crossover of swing, funk, trippy psychedelic dub, classical music with flashes of the Mediterranean and African, Eastern European traditions as well as bebop, odd-rhythm and free-jazz.

http://www.nakedbandbelgrade.com/

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IBERI (GE)

Fri, 21 May 2021 17:32:19 +0000

In ancient times, the country of Georgia was called Iberia; the vocal ensemble IBERI honors its homeland’s historic traditions in song. IBERI sings work songs, carols, hymns, historical ballads, and a host of treasures from the pre-Christian era with gripping intensity and virtuosity.

Clad in their trademark black coats and boots, the musicians’ iconic brand of polyphonic singing features blocks of unconventional improvised harmonies with wild stratospheric falsetto tones floating above sepulchral bass notes. Drama, ecstasy, and tenderness are at the core of every note IIBERI sings.

Apart from singing IBERI incorporates elements of dance and traditional instruments into its concerts.

These are songs so beautiful, they were launched into space on Voyager 2’s golden record and declared an intangible cultural treasure by UNESCO.

Since their debut in 2012 IBERI has performed at significant festivals, like Tallinn Music Week, WOMEX, globalFEST, WOMAD, Sori Festival, and at numerous festivals around the world from the USA till Malaysia.

http://www.iberi.ge

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Puuluup (EE)

Wed, 19 May 2021 21:35:20 +0000

A pinch of surrealism, talharpa revival and neozombiepostfolk.
Puuluup was formed in 2014 by two enthusiasts Ramo Teder and Marko Veisson. Ramo Teder is an artist, multi-instrumentalist and a looping pioneer in Estonia. Marko Veisson has a background in anthropology.

They play talharpas – a traditional bowed lyre, popular in Northern Europe since the early middle ages and played on Western Estonian islands until the beginning of 20th century, when it was declared satanistic instrument and destroyed. However – talharpa acts rather strangely in the hands of Puuluup. It is electrified, looped, and often played in experimental techniques. It reminds the old tradition but definitely has another agenda as well.

The lyrics and melodies are a mixture of their musical memories and improvisation. The music may have a dancing beat, or resemble a dark film soundtrack, spy around in the chambers of ancient talharpa players, or travel to far-away lands.

They play with music as well as they play with words singing in Estonian, adding words from other languages, or their own invented words. Live shows of Puuluup are enriched with elements of absurdly lovely choreography and dry humour.

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Dysanatolia (GR)

Wed, 19 May 2021 21:08:59 +0000

“Dysanatolia” is a band whose members are united by common love and aesthetics about the traditions of both Greece and the wider Eastern Mediterranean region. Although because of the constant searches and different origins of its members, their original compositions are clearly westernized and orchestrated in a fusion mood. This creates a state in which the West constantly reigns with the East and the Balkans. The kanun switches with the saxophone and the drums with the keys. The last 8 years the band is already traveling, countless live performances in Athens, Patras, Lefkada, Yannena, Arta, performances at festivals across Greece (Preveza, Poro, etc.) also in Istanbul, which is a common benchmark of the founding members. The last 2 years they have been reconstituted, with their founding members, in the kanun (Manolis Christodoulou) and saxophone (Chris Kiriazis) and adding two new ones to the keys (Christoforos Mastorakis) and the drums (Nikos Christopoulos, Simos Konstantinidis). Playing original compositions.

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