Live review: Night at Brighton Dome

By Kiana Arnott-Job

The Nepali band Night, who describe their music as ‘new school folk’ are currently touring in the UK and promoting their debut album ‘Ani Ukaali Sangai Oraali.’ Their concert at Brighton Dome started with an intriguing instrumental percussion piece. With instruments dotted around the stage - ranging from guitars to drums and Nepali sarangi (stringed instrument, a little like a fiddle) and bansuri (bamboo flute) - each piece added more intricate layers and beautiful harmonies.

After a detailed explanation of their music, the last member of the band was brought on stage. His instrument? A leaf! This moment was still exciting, even though I had seen Night before at Shambala Festival last year, and you could tell that everyone in the venue was enthralled. The ‘leaf flute’ is a very old traditional Nepali instrument and is undoubtedly one of the most compelling instruments in the band’s extensive line-up, although it must be said that the various other elements deserve equal appreciation. Another stand-out feature was the use of vocals, weaving an intricate tapestry of melodies with mingling male and female colours.

Overall the experience was - to use a cliché - really unique. The audience’s interested silence during songs probably didn’t ease any initial nerves the band might have had, but there was no need to worry as the poise and beauty in their music shone through and the audience could hear it loud and clear. This was an impressively charming opening concert by Night and they will surely only get more confident as the tour goes on – catch them while you can!

On lost traditions, resilience, and leaf music: Q&A with Night

Q. How would you introduce the band for the UK audience?

NIGHT is a new-school Nepali folk band that focuses on using traditional and especially endangered Nepali instruments and tunes. Night is creating new sounds and reintroducing Nepali instruments to a contemporary audience.

Q. With your music you revive lost Nepali traditions. Can you explain why they are lost and how you revive them? 

There are many factors involved in why Nepali traditions are being lost. Economic and industrial developments, urbanization, increased migration are just a few of the factors that have led to deep and rapid socioeconomic transformations. People are heavily inspired by modern culture and trying to adopt their daily life style to it. From which after a certain time the traditions are either forgotten or abandoned.

Q. Can you describe some of the rare instruments you use in your set?

1. Paluwa is a fresh young leaf in Nepali. Leaf is found everywhere but only few can be played. Most commonly played leaves are cilāune (Needlewood Tree) and sāl. In Nepal people play the leaf at the time of cattle herding. But in the current time, this culture is becoming extinct. There are very few good leaf players remaining in Nepal.

2. Mahaali is a reed instrument, mostly used by the jugi community (tailor caste musicians). It is a conical bore double reed shawm. It is used in many religious moments and mainly the melody instrument of Navabaaja (ensemble of nine drums).

3. Pilrhu is a wind instrument made out of clay in the shape of a small bird. This instrument is usually played by children of the Tharu community imitating the sound of bird. It consists of 2 -4 small holes in the body.

4. Piwancha is a bowed bamboo instrument. The string of the Piwancha is made from the horse tail hair. This instrument became extinct many decades ago but it was frequently used during the Malla period (medieval period of Nepal which was from 1201–1769). It produces warm and low sound and is said to have been played by farmers of the Kathmandu valley.

Q. You are inspired by local traditions and songs – can you tell us something about these?

First of all we love local Nepali music and we love to create folk music and we are doing what we believe in. 

Our interest in local traditions was also born out of the increasing rate of their endangerment. Most importantly it has not only been about music and instruments. Our creative thoughts mainly revolve around village life of Nepal, the hardships of simple working class people and the inherent resilience of the Nepali spirit. There is struggle in the Nepali village life, but despite the apparent hardships, there is joy, contentment and certain warmth that always shine through despite the daily toil. Our music and lyrics celebrate this - both the joy and the struggle.

Q. Do you also find inspiration from other music from around the world?

We usually listen to many kinds of music around the world. …..

Q. You create a contemporary sound for a band with traditional roots. How did this concept come about?

We started out as an avant-garde metal band. As Jason travelled Nepal while working as a Chartered Accountant, he was exposed to lot of new music and the flavour of Nepali folk. With this new-found interest in traditional music and ethnomusicology, Night changed gears and started experimenting in producing contemporary music with traditional instruments.

Q. What would you hope the UK audience can learn from your concerts? 

They definitely will get to hear a new sound. From our music, we hope they will see a reflection of the current situation of Nepal, the stories of Nepali people. We built very special relationships with our audience when we visited England for the first time last summer. Though we sing in Nepali people somehow relate to our songs. Music definitely is a universal language. We are also learning from our audience.

A new podcast, featuring Night

A new podcast!
With mesmerising music from Nepali band Night. Presented by Colin Bass.

New tour coming up: Nepali folk innovators Night

A ‘new school’ folk band from Katmandu, Night dive into the rich Nepali musical culture, breathing new life into lost and endangered traditions, using rare instruments to create a stunning new sonic landscape. Their unique sound and original compositions are the result of extensive travels to remote parts of the country and encounters with different ethnic communities. From place to place, they were fascinated with the people, the vibrant music culture and their timeless way of life, which inspired colourful songs revolving around the daily hardships, everyday rituals and small victories in these villages. The title of their debut album, Ani Ukali Sangai Orali, alludes to the arduous climbing up, then descending of steep slopes, a daily reality for most villagers in Nepal. Weaving together stories, memories and melodies on a journey celebrating Nepali village life, Night re-energise traditional instruments and melodies with a decidedly contemporary flair and an excitingly unique sound.

Live review: Otava Yo at Rich Mix (2)

By Ellie Panton 

“Who here speaks Russian?” Asked a band member to the London crowd. A chorus of excited shouts came in response. Otava Yo are a Russian folk band, so there was a language barrier for a few audience members. However, I was not completely lost, as every song had a spoken prelude in English, allowing us to appreciate the band’s quirky humour and even learn a bit about Russian folk culture.

 One of the best things about seeing Otava Yo live was the quality of verbal, audio and visual storytelling. Certain songs had creative lighting and pre-recorded sound effects. As it happens, blue lighting, sleigh bells and the sound of howling wind can make the idea of playing a Christmas carol in March seem sensible. The band’s use of unique instrumentation was also very entertaining. Violins played quasi guitar, two pipes being played simultaneously by one person, and an iPhone being used as a bass drone (to the amusement of the other band members).

My favourite song by far was about pancakes. As we were told in the prelude, pancakes are beloved in Slavic culture, as they represent the sun: warm and circular. And as both Russia and England are in such desperate need of sunshine, the band decided to sing the song to try and summon the sun. About halfway through, the music starts to slow and slide down in pitch, coming to a halt as one of the violinists clutches his stomach and groans. Another band member asks the audience what they should do, until they come to this conclusion: he should eat just one more. And the music starts back up again.

 The skilled, boisterous band seemed to attract one of the best audiences I’ve been in. Not only were most of us dancing and participating, but the band was able to flawlessly coordinate us into a three-part clapping rhythm. But the show’s biggest strength had to be the passionate performance of infectiously catchy music that was still being hummed on the tube back home.

Photo by Merlyn Driver.

Live review: Otava Yo at University of Sheffield

By Joanna Booth

Otava Yo’s performance was intriguing from the beginning, starting with a background soundtrack of bird noises as the lights went down and the performers strolled casually on stage throughout the lively opening number. Their stage presence was cheerful and engaging and their folk tunes managed to be both dark and Slavic and utterly joyful at the same time. The traditional instrumentation and old Russian feel was balanced with a more contemporary sound which merged modern electric guitar solos into the folk texture beautifully.

It was music which told stories and with the help of humorous anecdotal introductions in English before each song, these stories rang through especially in the lovely vocals of fiddle player Yulia Usova, whose soprano voice doubled all the male voices to great effect.

Recorded sound effects returned multiple times, including film crackling to accompany a slow waltz from a very old Russian film. These kind of performance novelties really lifted the show element of the gig. Multi-instrumentalism was a definite theme of the night and a favourite with the audience was the use of pan pipes split into three sections and divided among the performers who danced whilst they played, grins on their faces and the ear flaps of their hats flapping.

By the second half they had a good portion of the audience on their feet dancing at the back of the hall and by the last song of their set list the dancers had moved to the front by the stage and the concert felt more like a festival set. This, they told us later, was first time this has happened to them in the UK and there was a feeling of such mutual delight at this that the band decided to extend their concert beyond its planned end because, as they said, the night was “only just beginning.” Judging from their popularity at this gig, it seems the same can be said of their international careers.

Otava Yo on stage. Photo by Merlyn Driver

Live review: Otava Yo at Rich Mix

By Madeleine Woodley

From the moment I walked into London’s Rich Mix I was intrigued and excited for what the night was to offer. A stage with a washing line, a wooden duck statue and over twenty different types of instruments led to all different kinds of ideas running through my head. From the beginning to the end (of the washing line) not one audience member was disappointed with what ‘Otava Yo’ brought to the stage.

The six-member band from St Petersburg completely filled the room with their delightful fusion of traditional Russian folk and contemporary music. Their motivation was clear from the beginning, to show a revival of their traditional Russian folk heritage, which some would say has been lost, whilst presenting it in a way to make it accessible to the modern listener. Their intention was evident in more than just the music: from the outfits they wore, signature tank tops, peasantry dress and ushanka hats.

The mixture of their own Russian folk songs merged with modern day instruments such as the bass and electric guitar created a sound which was lively, innovative and rich in not only colour but harmony as well. The off-beat and dance like rhythms managed to get the whole audience moving their feet.

Their 21 different instruments definitely didn’t gather any dust either, each was utilized thoroughly, and in such a creative and inventive way to enhance their performance. From the archaic Russian village instruments such as the Gusli (Russian harp), to the Violin and lots of percussion instruments in between, we went on a musical journey through the Russian countryside, with Otava Yo showing fresh and original ways to fuse different instruments with music.

A particular highlight for myself was when the musicians used an iPhone as an instrument and incorporated that into one of the most moving songs of the evening. The use of the iPhone to produce rich cello sounds, mixed with pan pipes whilst the band was singing in harmony allowed the audience to see all sides of Otava Yo. Showing how their fusion of Russian folk music didn’t just produce upbeat, dynamic and danceable tunes, but songs with true raw emotion, capable of moving the audience emotionally too. This presented so much clearer the importance of the revival of traditional Russian folk music, and how integral it was for the band to communicate this to the audience (and the world).

Otava Yo were clearly passionate about presenting Russian folk music in a way which was accessible to 21st century listeners and they did all that and more. The audience was captivated from start to finish from not only the music, but by the band themselves. Communicating with the audience in between songs, telling jokes and educating the crowd on the meaning behind the songs they sung. Creative, inspiring, and genuinely interesting, Otava Yo are definitely one to check out if you get the chance.

Otava Yo at Rich Mix Lndon. Photo by Merlyn Driver

Live review: Otava Yo at RNCM

By Ellie Sherwood

What do you expect from a performance when the first thing you see on stage is a clothes line, twenty different instruments, and a wooden duck statue? Otava Yo obviously like to entertain their audience, and tonight’s gig at RNCM was no exception.

The 6-piece band from St Petersburg played their fusion of Russian folk song and contemporary music with such energy and wit, whilst skilfully revealing their lively, extraordinary, and romantic colours. Their main motive is clear: to communicate the loss of tradition and dying of Russian folk songs, which were once so integral to Russian life. Their way of reviving this tradition is to meld the past and the present by mixing Russian folk songs with a funky bass, electric guitar, zesty riffs, and off-beat rhythms, making it very hard to not immediately get up and dance (although I’m sure this is what happens at plenty of their concerts).

Otava Yo definitely made use of the twenty different instruments on stage, which ranged from wooden spoons to bagpipes. One of my favourite parts of the performance was the way the two violins were used: often in harmony, playing a beautiful folk song melody whilst the electric instruments accompanied, bringing the songs forward into the 21stcentury.

The musicians are clearly passionate about the importance of tradition, and their commitment to reviving their folk music in such a spirited way is extremely powerful. Otava Yo’s music left the audience feeling both nostalgic for the past and excited about the present – a rare sentiment that only a band of such zeal, dedication, and talent can inspire.

A new podcast, with Otava Yo

We have a new podcast!
Featuring the inimitable Otava Yo. Presented by Colin Bass.

About grass, goats and lost bagpipes: Q&A with Otava Yo

What does your band name Otava Yo mean? 
Otava is an old agricultural term, which in Russian means 'after grass' – during summer time if you mow the grass, after couple of weeks new grass (fresh and green) will grow on the same place. To be honest not everybody in Russia knows this word. (‘yo’ is simply the transliteration of the unique Russian letter ё)

Your music has been described as Russian Beat. Can you explain? 
This description was created during our tour in Mexico in 2010. We had just recorded our first album “Once upon a time” on which for the first time we tried playing famous Russian songs in very danceable style. At a press-conference at a big world music festival a journalist asked how we would describe our music style. So the answer came to my mind straight away: Russian Beat, as an analogy to Balkan Beat (everybody knows what does it means). We try to play modern Russian folk music, based on Russian traditional music, but transformed by our minds as cosmopolitan citizens. We are trying to play current folk music, not something reconstructed. And we try to keep it alive, and not hide it in an old cozy museum.

You are from the city of St Petersburg – Can you describe your favorite music club and the music scene there? 
St Petersburg is a very big city - there are a lot of music clubs and we have played almost everywhere. Like everywhere else music clubs are full of people who come to have fun. 10 years ago we had even more clubs and more people interested in partying in clubs. Now there are many more things to do in the city besides that, so clubs have to make more of an effort to attract their audience. I am not sure I have a favorite club in the city but there are couple of places where I like to play – the reopened “Aurora” concert hall and the “Waiting Hall” club in the old train station building. I have to admit I don’t go much to clubs unless I’m playing there.

You revive old tunes – what is special about them and why do these appeal to you? 
I really like to listen to traditional tunes myself. There is something special in them which has kept them alive for centuries and will keep them fresh and alive ever longer and longer. I suppose it is accumulated spirituality. Our forefathers kept those tunes for us, they loved them, played them, transformed them and as the result those tunes got a perfect form now. When you play such tunes with proper attitude you can feel something very important - these tunes make you feel better. And the biggest challenge for us as the musicians is to try and compose something which might sound like a traditional tune. I hope you can find this in some of our songs.

Humour is a big part of your show (you even received an award from the Bratislava Humour Academy!)– do you think the English will get your jokes? 
I hope so! The famous British sense of humour (at least our impression of it) feels quite close to us. I love Monty Python and all that black humour style. In our jokes we try to be understandable to everybody and in the same time to stay natural, not to pretend being just comedians. Our music is about much more than just the jokes, but of course we enjoy to make people smile and have fun - I think it fits folk music very well.

You play some traditional Russian instruments – can you describe them? 
First of all I would like to mention the gusli – the Russian village harp or psalterion. I love this instrument. It is quite simple, but in the same time it gives a lot of possibilities for a musician playing it. Also we have the zhaleika - it could be described like the chanter of a bagpipe [without the bellows]. We don’t have Russian bagpipes anymore, they are totally gone. But the zhaleika is very close to a chanter of a Russian bagpipe. Centuries ago shepherds used zhaleikas for communicating with goats and other livestock. Beside that our fiddler Dima plays an authentic Russian village style which together with the more classical style of our second violinist Julia gives a very interesting sound to our songs.

You have played to audiences all over the world – where is the best audience? 
To be honest almost everywhere we are well received by the audience. People in Latvia and Estonia are very responsive to our music (probably because we show them something which is totally different to what they were taught as Russian folk music during Soviet Union times), we had some great festival experiences in Western Europe, and of course at home.

Will you try to teach the English audiences some Russian? What do you want them to learn from Otava Yo? 
Russian is quite a difficult language to learn. Usually people catch simple words as vodka or privet (hello). So I don’t think the audience will remember any of the Russian words we might sing or say, but I don’t think this matters. What is more important: We want to show that sometimes impressions of somebody else’s music can be very mistaken. We know that all over the world everybody knows there is a very big country called Russia, but almost nobody knows anything about our real music culture, or has the wrong impression about. So our goal is to show the world that there is something else that exists in Russia and it is full of life and energy.

On tour next: Russian post-folk with Otava Yo

Steaming out of St Petersburg in white vests, peasant dress, and ushankas on head with ear-flaps akimbo, Otava Yo bring the abandoned traditions of Russian folksong to the 21st century. They offer a glimpse into life in an old Russian village, replete with romance, melancholy and merrymaking, a fierce sense of pride and a good dose of surreal humour. With lyrical gusil, global guitar, wailing bagpipes, expert fiddle-scraping, pumping bass and pounding drum, their songs of rural passions, heroic sailors, goats and pancakes are delivered with casual wit playful imagination. They don’t care much about convention: “if you find that you hear something you do not expect to hear, that's exactly what we wanted.” They have performed at major European folk festivals and as far afield as Mexico and India, and received an award from the Bratislava Humour Academy; it only seems natural to take on charming British audiences next.
Surreal, humorous and danceable – if you liked the Yiddish Twist Orchestra you’ll love this!

What the audience says: Söndörgö

Utter privilege to see @sondorgo in London tonight. Five *outstanding* musicians, interplanetarily good music.

Fabulous concert @sondorgo @makingtracks_uk superb musicianship. Catch them if you can!!

Blisteringly good gig from @sondorgo @RichMixLondon

Great show tonight at Bury St Edmund's. You are fantastic musicians. Thank you very much.

Another amazing performance. This time in Cambridge. Brilliant musicians.

Hungarian band @sondorgo were brilliant tonight performing at Gateshead Old Town Hall. Catch them on the @makingtracks_uk tour - great!

Incredible concert in Brighton tonight!

Loved the gig last night; thank you! Your musicianship is incredible and you successfully communicated your joy of playing this uplifting music together. Good luck with the rest of the tour.

Thanks for such a great night @RNCM! I can't wait for the next time you're in Manchester. I'm going to love all of my CDs!

Fantastic concert in Gateshead. We loved it!

Hungarian folk band SöNDöRGő were fantastic at NCEM York tonight. See them at @RichMixLondon Friday if you can!

Söndörgö were really great on Friday night, audiences absolutely loved them.Great choice!

Was a great show, loved it!

Amazing Brighton gig. Highly recommend!

We saw you play last night in Bristol, thank you for such a wonderful evening of music, we look forward to your return.

amazing amazing gig. thank you. one song was particularly moving for me...felt like an entire journey in one song...would love to hear it again. thank you! xx

The Bristol gig was amazing, thank you so much!

brilliant gig (...) loving the band!

Great evening / nagyszeru est!

The audience were clearly very impressed with the band who were incredible musicians and clearly very happy to be on tour.

Great evening at @CambJunction listening to @sondorgo (included variations by Bartók and Vujicsics). Now lusting after a hulusi!

Fabulous music happening NOW @sondorgo @RichMixLondon

@sondorgo @RichMixLondon It was a fantastic evening.

Photo: The Orbital Strangers Project

Live review: Söndörgö at NCEM

By David Forsdike

The Making Tracks tours are all about introducing British audiences to music from less-well known corners of the globe, and last night at the NCEM in York the audience was treated to a scintillating live performance from a Hungarian quintet, Söndörgö. These five Hungarians have this music in their blood - there are three brothers in the group, along with a cousin and a family friend – and the father of the brothers, Kalman Eredics was a founder member of the group Vujicsics. Joe Boyd’s label Hannibal Records released a Vujicsics album of Serbian music from Southern Hungary in 1988, and it is this same repertoire which Söndörgö re-create with such panache today.

These musicians may be Hungarians, but there is no violin or cimbalom here. Their instruments are tamburas of various sizes, which they have mastered to a high level of virtuosity. The smallest is the size of a ukulele, but in the hands of the group’s leader Aron Eredics, the eldest of the three brothers, it demonstrated a myriad of emotions, sometimes slow and ever so slightly mournful, but more often than not ending in a joyful torrent of cascading notes across its small soundboard - this is after all music for dancing!

The line-up of instruments was ever-changing. Sometimes there were string only pieces, others featured clarinet, flute, saxophone or trumpet solos; the accordion stole the limelight at times, and engaged in frantic duets with the lead tambura, revealing a tightness of ensemble and infectious energy which was simply breathtaking. Was this the intuitive precision and collaborative musicianship that only fellow family members can provide? Their repertoire included Gypsy songs, Macedonian tunes with an Oriental flavour, and some smaller scale duos featuring tunes collected by Bela Bartok; at times they even added some hearty vocals to the mix.

One of the real joys of the evening was the chance to witness a true acoustic performance. This has become such a rarity in this day and age, and it was a real delight to hear Söndörgö’s music fill the NCEM without any amplification. Lighting was used sparingly, and enhanced the occasion without being obtrusive. These musicians were truly enjoying themselves. A highlight of the evening came after the interval with a magical piece for tamburas alone. This featured slow moving chordal harmonies ending in the most delicate of all pianissimos as the lights faded to nothing. Truly memorable!

Live review: Söndörgö at RNCM (2)

By Ellie Sherwood

Söndörgö’s performance at the RNCM last night marked the start of their tour of the UK. I was completely blown away by the passion and talent that emitted from all five musicians on stage, who kept us entertained by their virtuosic and superb playing right until the last note. Coming from a small Hungarian town near Budapest, Söndörgö create a refreshing and unique Balkan sound which is heavily inspired by Southern Slavic folk music. The band are motivated to preserve musical traditions of the Serbs and Croats as found in different settlements in Hungary, and through this renewal of folklore and heritage, they produce inimitable music that sounds both old and new; an echo of the past heard within the present.
The traditional Balkan instrument, the tambura, was played to its absolute maximum during last night’s gig. Similar to the mandolin, the tambura is a small and agile plucked instrument, and I have never seen or heard a dainty instrument be used in such a powerful and spritely way. Each member of Söndörgö played at least three different instruments during their performance such as the tambura, wooden whistle, guitar, double bass, trumpet, clarinet, saxophone, hand drum and accordion. It seemed every piece had a different set-up of instruments, and often a musician would swap instruments half way through a song. It was exciting to see such versatile musicians performing, and what was equally impressive was that Söndörgö’s unique sound did not once falter, despite all these exciting changes. They also enlivened us with singing a couple of traditional Hungarian tunes – whilst playing and swapping instruments, of course.
Perhaps the most impressive part of Söndörgö concert was the musicians’ ability to respond to the musical spontaneity of each other. They were obviously well-rehearsed and extremely tight, but there was very much still an element of surprise and impulsiveness that only comes from musicians who perform from their hearts every time. Söndörgö were playing for us, but they were also playing for themselves, and it was obvious that they were pushing the boundaries of their own music whilst on stage. Part of their ability to do that might come from the fact that four out of five of the musicians are related – three of them being brothers, and one being a cousin – but most of their talent is rooted in their skill of listening and watching each other whilst also listening to themselves. Their musicianship and talent provided the audience with an incredibly enjoyable and remarkable evening, and one also cannot forget Söndörgö’s use of stage lighting, which added an exclusive touch the their performance.
Thank you Söndörgö, and good luck with the rest of your tour!

Live at RNCM

Live review: Söndörgö at RNCM (1)

By Lucie Phillips

On the opening night of their tour, Söndörgö’s exhilarating music entranced the audience of RNCM’s Studio Theatre from start to finish. Their unique approach to Balkan music is incredibly attractive and versatile, tempting the audience in every direction possible with their rapid Southern Slav folk dances and static, atmospheric improvisations. Even within songs their music takes the most unexpected, most pleasurable of turns: flitting between styles and speeds with ease and sophistication.
Söndörgö is primarily a tamburitza band, meaning that they play various types of tambura - a mandolin-like instrument. Occasionally wind instruments appear along with an accordion to add yet another colour to this already vibrant band. Between them Áron Eredics, Benjamin Eredics, Dávid Eredics, Salamon Eredics and Attila Buzás play at least 17 instruments to the highest of standards. The group made the decision on the night to not to be amplified but this did not hinder the balance at all - they are so skilful and such good musicians that when two of them played in harmony it still sounds like one, even without mics. As they ‘rock out’ the brothers challenge each other when soloing which makes the show all the more entertaining to watch. And occasionally they treat us to snippets of hearty singing, adding yet more skill and convincing us of their expertise.
As well as the individual virtuosity of Söndörgö, they are possibly one of the tightest bands you will ever come across. This tightness doesn’t merely come from endless rehearsal; it comes from knowing each other inside out as musicians which is why they manage to sound so organic and are never in danger of coming across as over rehearsed. Even the lighting team were part of this synergy and while the light show was startling at first, the juxtaposition of traditional music and modern technology wasn’t grating or twee but instead, sums up the band as a whole: 5 passionate, incredibly talented musicians who are enlightening the world with their music; not because it’s a niche commodity but because it is what they love. Music lovers will look back on this gig and smile in delight at the incomparable joy and talent consistently presented by Söndörgö. Their passion shines through and the audience cannot help but be enchanted by Söndörgö’s endearing manner and exhilarating performance.

Live at RNCM

New podcast - featuring Söndörgő!

The new Making Tracks podcast is here!
Featuring the amazing Söndörgö, live from their home town Szentendre.
Presented by Colin Bass.

Q&A with Söndörgö

Your music focusses on the tambura (a mandolin-like plucked lute) – can you tell us more about the instrument?
This instrument, the tambura has come from Turkish Persian roots but what we use now is very much related to Hungary. Back at the beginning of the 20th century a Hungarian instrument maker tried to make a tambura sounding like a gypsy violin - trying to have a similar sound but in a picking style.
Now this tambura is a very famous instrument, widely used in parts of Serbia and even more in the Southern part of Hungary, and along the Danube river where Serbian and Croatian people live in Hungary. Hungarian people are now also starting to use this instrument because it goes well with any kind of music, both Hungarian and Balkan styles. It is especially common where we come from, the town of Szentendre (also along the Danube, about 20km from Budapest) as this town is home to the biggest Serbian community since 300 years ago, so this culture is very much at home there.
We also use this instrument because of our family – our father is also a musician so we grew up with these instruments always around the house and we just had to pick one up, and try and do something. Especially me, as I play the lead tambura or tamburitsa: I was 5 when my father bought me a tambura. It was a master’s instrument so he told me, this is your instrument, but you can’t touch it yet, we will put it on top of the cupboard and you can only touch it if there are musicians around from our ensemble who can show you how to use it. So I was always very interested in this, eyeing up the instrument on the top of the cupboard.
So it’s worked out pretty well: my father told me he didn’t want to push us to become musicians, we could just do whatever we liked. But me and my two brothers we all became musicians so my father knew pretty well how to get us started.

You play in your band with your two brothers, a cousin and a school friend - how does it feel to play in a band with your closest family?
In a way it’s a very good thing, especially musically. We don’t have to have words to know what the other wants to do on stage, or just musically thinking, so it’s a very good way. On the other hand it can be quite hard too. I am the oldest brother, then there is the middle one, my brother Benjamin, and the youngest one, Salamon, so it’s not easy sometimes but anyway it has worked very well. We have a special relationship not just because we are a family but we also spend most of our time together, so it can be really hard for others, the other parts of our families. We are touring a lot, we are playing a lot, so we spend much more time together than we do with our wives or children. So it’s not easy from this perspective, but it is working pretty well on stage, I do think so!

There is more family history, your father is a very well-known musician too.
My father is a member of a famous band called Vujicsics, this name comes from a man called was Tihamér Vujicsics. He was the biggest collector of Southern Slavic music in Hungary. He was of Serbian background, but not just a folk music collector, but also a composer, and a pupil of Zoltan Kodaly. He then went on a trip to collect folk music in Asia and his plane crashed and he died, so my father and his brother and some others decided to take on his name and continue what he started.
My father grew up in Pomáz, a town very close to Szentendre, where also lots of Serbian people live. So they started to play for dances and other community events, started playing in a natural way, and then this became a stage performance because they also studied classical music at the academy. But they decided to do just this, trying to arrange this folk music for stages and concert halls, and this is what we try to continue. For us when we think about our father and his ensemble, they are the biggest masters, or biggest idols for our music.

So your music is primarily dance music. Can you describe the dance that goes with it?
It a style of circle dance called kolo (which means round dance). The Southern Slavic tradition is one of couple dances, but with many people in a big circle, and it has asymmetric rhythms – it looks like it is very easy but it’s not. It looks like – oh they just take a few steps, one after the other – but it’s not like that, it’s not so easy to keep up with the music. We started playing for dances when we were young, when we started the band, we were playing for dance houses, and also the local community events around Szentendre and the surrounding country side.

What does the folk scene in Hungary look like today?
I think the scene is really strong, and today a lot of young people are involved with folk music and dances. Hungary is a special place for folk music - it has a very strong tradition. Sometimes it’s too strong – you have to open the borders a bit and sometimes the folk music borders can be too big sometimes. But it is very good that there are lots of young bands doing the folk thing, not just Hungarian folk music but also Balkan music in general is going strong.
We also teach, myself I teach at the Music Academy, I teach the tamburitsa so I have some students who are really talented and I’m really happy that people are getting involved with it and trying to be professional with it. So it becomes not just music for the dance house, it’s about getting to international stages too and about rethinking this music.

What would you like to leave the UK audience with on this tour?
That’s a hard question…. maybe it’s about the energy of what we can do on stage. I think this music has very very special energy, and live it is a totally different experience. Listening just from a CD or recording is really not anything like the experience it can be live. People keep talking about how our brotherly connection is working on stage, and again it’s a special thing – people like it when they see how much we like what we do. So it’s not like, OK, we are professionals and doing this tour for a living – we love to play, and we love to show to the audience what we feel when we play. Sometimes we joke about this – that we enjoy even more than the audience what we do on stage… it’s funny but true!

Next tour: Söndörgö in November

SÖNDÖRGÖ : Band of brothers in celebration of Hungarian roots
Building from delicate filigree patterns of intertwining strings to dazzling displays of furious fingerwork, Söndörgö (say: shoen-doer-goe) bring a vigorous virtuosity to their fresh interpretations of Hungarian folk music. At the core of their sound is the tambura, a mandolin-like instrument in many sizes, embellished through multi-instrumental skills on assorted wind instruments and accordion. The band got together in 1995 when brothers Aron, Benjamin and Salamon teamed up with cousin David and high-school pal Attila. They've been honing their impressive musicianship ever since, gathering international momentum over five albums – the latest aptly titled 'Tamburocket' - and perfecting the art of bringing audiences to their feet with simply brilliant acoustic folk music.
“their music sparkles with virtuosity and foot-tapping joie de vivre” (Evening Standard)
“a world class band” (The Guardian)

Live review: Namvula at RNCM Manchester (2)

By Lucie Phillips

What a privilege for RNCM to host the final gig of Namvula’s glorious 11 day tour! Namvula treats you to an exuberant performance of Zambian afro-folk whilst at the same time radiating peace and warmth over everyone involved.

This warmth was not just felt through the inviting demeanour of Namvula herself, but through the synergy between band members, the flawless music they produce, and through the call to join Namvula on her musical journey.

The evening opened with a prayer to those who have gone before us which succeeded in expressing Namvula’s hope that “we can all find home, if only for an hour or two this evening” within the music. As Namvula explained the inspiration behind each song, it became clear that she is an important voice for those who cannot speak out or who have tried but have not been heard. And this is the essence of Namvula’s music: she transports us to another world, using music as the portal to higher planes of understanding.

Throughout the evening there was a resounding sense of interconnectivity between Namvula herself the band members - guitarist Jack Ross, Mamadou Sarr on percussion, Yuval Wetzler on drums, Liran Donin on bass and alto sax player Chris Williams. Their music is always voiced perfectly, whether it’s the warming vocal harmonies, a daring bass intro or instrumental nuances. And although Namvula’s music is often described as Zambian afro-folk, they expand the boundaries of this label with subtle electronics, an eclectic range of influences and a revitalising approach to tradition, making their music totally unique. Their pioneering style spreads across all tracks from the album and permeates into more recent compositions too. Indeed, how refreshing to hear a band play fresh material live!

As the night, and tour, drew to a close, the audience welcomed the opportunity to praise the whole band as they each showcased their talents through virtuosic solos, often with an injection of humour. The final number summed up the enjoyment and closeness of Namvula as a collective when she welcomed her spellbound audience, including the saxophonist’s niece, to join her in dancing.

There is nothing more fulfilling than seeing the band onstage before you enjoying themselves, having the time of their lives and inviting you to join in the party. Mesmeric and heartfelt; a true celebration of music at its most honest.

Photo by Steve Sweet

Live review: Namvula at RNCM Manchester (1)

By Ellie Sherwood

Namvula’s performance at the RNCM last night marked the end of her two-week tour of the UK, which has consisted of 11 different concerts. If her and the rest of the band were exhausted, then they certainly didn’t show it; in fact, the energy that flowed so naturally and constantly from the musicians was palpable, and it made the evening incredibly enjoyable and exhilarating. Namvula spoke openly to the audience about the fundamental themes that inspire her, such as her Zambian heritage, her mother, her aunt, and the strength and dignity of women, and this brought a very fresh and real meaning to the live music. I discovered that my favourite album track, Nsalamo, was inspired by Namvula’s great-grandmother, who walked across Zambia for a week with her two children to escape her abusive husband. This is the beauty of a good live performance: it creates a space for you to engage with the artist on a personal and human level, and you experience the music in a different way compared to listening to a CD made in a recording studio.

The stories told through her music certainly reflect the afro-folk label that is often used to describe Namvula’s sound, but the excitement and thrill that possessed many of the songs produced more afro-jazz and afro-beat vibes. The musicians performing with Namvula – Liran Donin on bass, Chris Williams on alto sax, Jack Ross on guitar, and Mamadou Sarr on percussion - were individually brilliant, and as a band, they were phenomenal. Each person was on exactly the same wavelength as Namvula, and it was such a joy to watch them having fun on stage. The music would change and gain intensity in such a way that only works if all the musicians involved are following each other, and this enabled us, the audience, to give ourselves up completely to Namvula and let her music take over.

The spontaneity and brilliance of the solos at the end of the gig emphasised the band’s creativity, and the night came to a close with Namvula dancing barefoot on stage with the saxophonist’s young niece. I certainly did not want to the evening to end, and to me, it was everything a performance should be: the music was awesome, the band were tight, and I felt as though I had gained a deeper insight into Namvula’s musical journey.

Photo by Steve Sweet