Armands Birkens, guitarist, composer and singer of the association, came to this concert especially from Chicago. He is Legzdiņš’s longtime stage colleague, associate and co-author of many of the most popular songs. The “Chicago Five” musician Alnis Cers from Chicago and Lori Vuda-Cinkus, who is the only one of the “Chicago Five” who has returned to live in Latvia, also participated.
The concert featured songs from the play “The Chicago Five – Return of the Legends”, performed by actors Gundars Silakaktiņš, Mārtiņš Brūveris, Aija Dzērve, Marģers Eglinskis and singer Ieva Sutugova.
Concert for former member of the “Chicago Five” Legzdiņš at VEF Culture Palace
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Anta EnĖele and Laila Ilze Purmaliete, Julgī Stalte and Āriks Zeps, Ainars Bumbieris and other artists also took part in the event. Continuing the tradition started by Legzdiņš, the name of the children’s group was also given in the finale of the concert, and this time it will be the children’s stage studio “Kukurags” led by Agnese Širantes.
Legzdiņš’s songs were played in various performances at the concert. Songs from Lolitas Ritmanes and Albert Legzdins’ joint work “Esslingen” were also played.
Legzdiņš passed away on March 18, 2017. The ensemble “Chikāgas piecīši” received the Latvian Music Record of the Year award for lifetime contribution to the development of Latvian music. Legzdins was also awarded with the Order of Three Stars.
“Chikāgas piecīši” can be considered the oldest performing Latvian popular music group, founded in the spring of 1961, when Modris Avotiņš, Uldis Ievans, Jānis Rinkušs and Legzdiņš gathered for their first concert on March 11. In total, more than 30 musicians and singers worked in the ensemble during these years.
Thanks to the “Chicago Five”, Latvian listeners could get to know the otherwise unavailable repertoire of Bob Dylan, “Paul&Mary” and other stars in the Latvian language, which was played quite democratically – with a few guitars and voices. With its repertoire, the ensemble can also be called the founder of Latvian country music.
Already in the first years of their activity, the “Chicago five” became popular and gradually toured all 30 active Latvian colonies in the USA at the time, followed by concerts in Canada. The first performance of the ensemble in the homeland took place in 1989 at Mežapark’s Great Stage, where 100,000 listeners gathered.
Since then, the “Chicago Five” have been frequent guests in Latvia, giving their first farewell tour in 2011, thus celebrating the 50th anniversary of their existence.
The discography of the “Chicago Five” includes at least 12 records, 16 cassettes and 10 CDs, which include both studio and concert recordings, as well as selections of the best songs, and such songs as “Mūsu līmsība”, “Par mani, sravžiņ, nebėda”, “I saw bálelinu”, “Līgo song”, “Let the entire world see it” and also the cheerful “Made In Latvia”, “Es savai līgavai”, “Because I like beer” and many others.
In honor of the half-century anniversary of the “Chicago Five” in 2011, the documentary film “About me, friend, don’t worry” was shot.
2023-07-05 20:31:00
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