A commemorative concert of the musician, songwriter and patriot of his country Alda Dregers will be held on November 14 in the VEF Palace of Culture in Riga.
In commemoration of Aldi Dregers, who revived the songs of freedom fighters and legionaries in the latter years of the Soviet Union and recorded more than 20 song programs during his short life, the musician’s companions, friends, acquaintances and family they will come together, wanting to pay homage to his courage and love for Latvia.
In the commemorative concert, the musicians of Alda’s group “Poļu nams” with Ivars Auzanas and Uldi Godaini at the forefront, Normunds Jakušonoks and Daiga Petkēviča, Andris Skuja, Valdis Rēbuks (“Klaidonis” group) and Āriks Smaļķis, as well as Alda himself on son Jānis Drēģeris will perform with the group. Alda’s daughter will also take an active part in the event and Alda’s mother will be sitting in the place of the guest of honor.
A bit of history. Aldis Dregeris is from Riga, born on 10 August 1966. He sat at the piano for the first time at the age of three under the supervision of his grandmother’s friend, the pastor. I learned to play the accordion from a teacher at the VEF Culture Palace. More seriously, Aldis became interested in music in the Soviet army, playing in an ensemble and composing songs. The singer learned to play the accordion, so he bought a synthesizer, with which he sang at home. Invitations to dance at weddings and other parties followed, and the turning point was a show on the anniversary of a relative from America. He liked Alda’s songs and his uncle asked him to record them on a cassette so he could take them across the ocean. Friends organized a recording for Latvijas Radio.
In 1988, Alda Dräger’s first cassette with Latvian songs about the struggle for freedom was released and an active concert activity began. At first, Drēģeris performed in the Riga café “Turaida”, her most active musical partners were Ivars Auzāns and Uldis Godainis. Soon the geography of the concerts expanded and Aldis sang the songs of the legionaries with a Latvian flag attached to the synthesizer. Until the end of his life, Drēģeris was a highly sought after musician, whose repertoire included soldier songs, jingles, songs composed by himself with lyrics by Aleksandar Čak and other Latvian authors. Although Drēģeris also sang bad songs, including about alcohol and women, he also recorded Ligo albums and Christmas songs, covers of Latvian folk songs.
Aldis Drēgiris had been touring all over Latvia with concerts, but the health problems came with the heavy workload. The life of the musician ended on January 20, 2005 in the 1st hospital in Riga with acute appendicitis.
