Latvian, Latgalian, Lithuanian and Yiddish texts about different paths, belonging to a place and strong symbols important to both peoples live in folk music arrangements. On the other hand, the violin, bayan, kokle, electric guitar, bagpipes, stabule, mandolin, organ and percussion are intertwined in one language.
The Black Rooster Project at the Jewish Music Days in Dresden, Germany. Year 2022 Photo: Heike Antoci
The musicians of the psychedelic klezmer group “Forshpil” and the folk group “Banga” independently discovered the music written more than a hundred years ago in the handwriting of an outstanding folklorist. The core of “Forshpil” is Latvian Jews – singer Saša Lurje (Sasha Lurje) and multi-instrumentalist Ilya Shneiveiss (Ilya Shneyveys), who lives in Berlin and New York and performs concerts all over the world.
Photo: Heike Antoci
They started going through the Melngailis collection together already ten years ago, while the founder of “Bangas”, folklorist Ilga Vālodze Ābele came across it accidentally and, wanting to touch the Jewish music tradition, three years ago with friends, including “The Black Rooster” member Elina Elleri and Jānis Zemga Jātnieku, created the program “Džingale”, which premiered at the Žanis Lipke memorial in Ķipsala. By coincidence, Saša Lurje, who was visiting Latvia at the time, heard it with his friend, violin virtuoso Craig Judelmen (Craig Judelman) and they were addressed by the fact that “Banga” highlighted the Latvian musical trend in its material.
2023-10-24 07:17:58
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