Xeyredîn û Ekrem

 

BUHARÊ BUHARÊ

XEYREDÎN Û EKREM

SPRINGTIME SPRINGTIME

XEYREDÎN AND EKREM

Aydın Müzik Yapım, no date

A lot of tapes are still made in Kurdistan as this one which is recent enough I think by two kemanche players from Turkey. It's rare enough to listen to this kind of music (in France I mean) while what we know mostly from that part of Kurdistan are saz, zurna, kaval or balaban players in bands. I would say that this duet sings and plays local music but there is nothing on the cover to be more precise. So maybe real connoisseurs in Kurdish musical traditions would know where they come from. Any information about them is welcome. Their style of playing is very rhythmic and the 15 songs/tunes on this tape are dance music. Some tunes are composed by them like the song that gave the tape its title.  There is only one track per side as all the songs are sung together. 

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Nevesincs

 

NEVESINCS

no label, 2000

Cassettes have been for decades the quickest and the cheapest way for millions of musicians to express themselves and to get some repute. Sometimes tapes get copied by millions and circulate widely sometimes they don't. It seems to be the case with this tape made by two Hungarian revivalist musicians Miklós Demeter and Ferenc Morvai. According to the instruments they use and the type of repertoire I suppose they have connections with Moldavia and the Csángó tradition. They play mainly the shepherd flute (furulya), koboz, jew's harp, gardon etc... but don't sing. Their ''name'' means ''no name'' in Hungarian which shows a certain modesty. I couldn't get any information about them on the web. The music is straight and ''simple'' and traditional in its approach.
There are 19 tracks mentionned but only 18 on the copy I made. I can't remember whether the tape was like that or if I made a mistake when digitalizing it. Sorry about that.

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an fhidil 2

 AN FHIDIL SRAITH II

THE FIDDLE ALBUM II

Gael-Linn, 1980, CEF 069

After the first album issued in 1978 (see post of the 8th of July) this second album presents older fiddlers : Seán Keane (born in 1946), Kevin Burke( born in 1950), Paddy Glackin (born in 1954) and Séamus Creagh (1946-2009). Four different styles partly reminiscent of Clare, Sligo or Donegal traditions. As the presentation text says they are the product of the folk revival starting in the late 50's and they play the tunes they like whatever the origin of the tunes. The tunes recorded here are standards with sometimes an unusual setting like on track B4 with K. Burke's version of the Mountain Road in three parts. If  you enjoyed the first album you surely will enjoy this one.
I have an affectionate thought for S. Creagh I met in Cork several times at the Spailpin Fanach pub. I was lucky to share some tunes with him. He was a real gentleman and an excellent singer. The album he made with Jackie Daly for Gael-Linn in 1977 is for me one of the ten best Irish records ever made. It is available on CD.

As far as I know this series should have three albums but the third one  has not been released yet and probably will never be. Too bad !

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HRISANTHOS N°2

 

HRISANTHOS N°2 / SONGS OF PONTOS 

 ΧΡΥΣΑΝΘΟΣ No.2 / ΤΡΑΓΟΥΔΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΠΟΝΤΟΥ

Emi Regal/Emial, 1975, 2J  048-70360

Hrisanthos (or Chrysanthos, last name Theodoridis) is one of my favourite Pontic singers. He's very famous in Greece and appears on a number of recordings. Here is accompanied by a lyra player whose name is not mentionned but it is Georgoulis Kouyoumtzidis.the same player as on the N°1 album you can find on youtube.  A very authentic album with a nice voice and style. He died in 2005.

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