Issue 17 12/2000
The FolkWorld Top Ten 2000
FolkWorld's Top Tens are designed to help the reader to discover
some of the most outstanding new bands of the year. They usually feature more
the unknown bands and musicians or the hidden gems of the genre than the big
stars.
Featuring a CD Top Ten and a Live Top Ten, compiled by FolkWorld's editors.
Cast your vote - the FolkWorld 2000 Readers'
Poll and Competition
FolkWorld wants to find out what the Reader's highlights were;
please cast your vote of the best three CDs of 2000, and have the chance to
win one of two packs of four CDS!
The FolkWorld CD Top Ten 2000
A selection of the personal highlights of 2000. Having been a difficult choice,
here are the editor's three best CDs and their seven, also highly recommended,
follow-ups. In our opinion, these albums are all a 'must' for collectors of
European Music CDs.
- The best of 2000: Jaune
Toujous "Brusk"
New innovative European folk sounds that are breaking borders. Jaune Toujours
play unusual and new music that may not easily be pigeonholed. This Flemish
(Belgian) band has lots of wild musical power. Playing mainly self-composed
music, they combine accordeon with percussion and a brass section. there are
jazz influences, but also you can find mussette, rock and of course folk.
The front instrument - either accordion or a brass instrument - is very dominantly
played and gives the music a great drive. The songs - mostly in Flemish with
some French choruses plus one song in French language - are influenced in
style by ballads, rock hymns, chansons and more.
This is up to date music - fresh with much drive and unique. A "must"
for anyone who loves the more unusual acts of the New European Folk scene.
Read the full FolkWorld CD review.
- The second best of 2000: Mercedes
Peon "Isué"
The debut CD of the young Galician singer / gaitero / traditional percussionist
Mercedes Peón. It is a very special one! On this album the traditions
are not presented in a pure manner, she combines them with modern sounds and
with influences from different regions - especially from the south, and then
especially from Northern Africa.
The album is a genius melange somewhere between traditional and modern Galician
music with lots of influences. Centerpiece is the powerful voice of Mercedes.
The songs and melodies are partly traditional, partly written by Mercedes
- many of them are earwigs, even if you do not understand a word. Mercedes
has gathered for this album an excellent backing band. An absolute stunning
debut CD, leaving you waiting for more....
Read the full FolkWorld CD Review.
- The third best of 2000: Spaccanapoli
"Lost Souls (Aneme Perze)"
Another real treat. Spaccanapoli from Naples play music full of passion and
southern temper and vibrant energy, full of innovative arrangements, of moving
songs, of intriguing melodies. The band features two passionate, yet contrasting
singers.
Although the music reflects the melting pot of Mediterranean cultures that
Naples offers, Spaccanapoli's music sounds very distinctive and characteristic.
Typical of Spaccanapoli is the innovative percussion, that is obviously steeped
in the traditions, yet having a very fresh and modern appeal. And then the
unusual arrangements; often a fiddle in the center of instruments, but then
at times also a flute or a clarinet. One of the most attractive and exciting
albums I have heard this year.
Read the full FolkWorld CD review.
- Kaikai "Das Kalte Herz"
The German band Kaikai presenting an exciting instrumental album as an interpretation
of a German fairy tale from the Blackforest.
Read the full FolkWorld CD review.
- Malinky "Last Leaves"
Young Scottish folk & trad band focussing on songs. Excellent
music and songwriting, perfectly presented.
Read the full FolkWorld CD review,
and the FolkWorld interview with Malinky.
- Oskorri "Ura"
The old established folk band from the Basque country coming up
with an innovative album with lots of highest profile folk guests.
Read the full FolkWorld CD review.
- Helmut Debus "Twuschen Ankamen un Afscheed"
A lyrical singer/songwriter from Northern Germany, singing in Platt
dialect, and carrying a lot of melancholic passion in his songs.
Read the full FolkWorld CD review.
- Lester Simpson "One"
Songwriting deeply rooted in English traditions, great musicians,
a sensitive singer. Quite a perfect album really; highly recommended.
Read the full FolkWorld CD review.
- Gout d'hier "Aujourd'hui"
Melodies from Central Europe, mainly France, presented by a high
profile German-Belgian four piece band.
Read the full FolkWorld CD review
(German only).
- ranarim "till ljusan dag"
New and beautiful Swedish Folk Music, featuring two female singers plus two
guys playing nyckelharpa and guitar/mandola.
CD Review in FolkWorld's next issue.
The FolkWorld Live Act
Top Ten 2000
Flashback on the most memorable concerts of 2000. These acts are great craic and
high quality entertainment.
- The best of 2000:
Berrogüetto seen at Celtic Connections 2000
A memorable performance of what is today possibly Galicia's finest live band:
Berrogüetto. Their appearances carry a lot of spirit and are absolutely
stunning.
The aim of Berrogüetto is to carry the old traditional music of Galicia into
our times, and the musicians show themselves very open in bringing new elements
into the music. Berrogüetto use an exciting range of traditional Galician
instruments. Of course there is the national instrument of Galicia, the Gaita.
Then there is also a hurdy gurdy, the tambourine and the fiddle These old
instruments are joined with modern ones, like guitar or bouzouki or most of
the percussion.
Not only in Celtic Connections, but also at the Tønder Festival they
were one of the definite highlights. One of the greatest live bands of Europeans
New Folk scene.
Read the interview with Berrogüetto.
- The second best of 2000: Kapela
Ze Wsi Warszawa seen at the Tanz & Folk Fest Rudolstadt 2000
Another of FolkWorld's newly discovered music pearl this year was the
Polish band 'Kapela ze wsi Warzsawa' (= 'band from the village of Warsaw').
Poland has currently a very vibrant folk music scene, and Kapela ze wsi Warzsawa
is one of the magnificent bands that this country has produced. This young
band (four girls and two boys) combines the powerful voices and the string
instruments (like fiddle, the Polish "female dog fiddle" or cello)
of the girls with percussion in the form of traditional hand drums of the
boys. The Kapela ze wsi Warzsawa interpretes ancient melodies and songs on
acoustic instruments in a very modern and up to date sounding way. Great stuff.
Read the FolkWorld Rudolstadt Review
and the Interview with the band.
- The third best of 2000: Michael
McGoldrick's Experience seen at Celtic Connections 2000
A real experience is this venture of Michael McGoldrick, one of the shooting
stars of the Irish scene. As the German live review in FolkWorld says; "Music
like "Michael McGoldrick's Experience" has not been heard since the Moving
Hearts. The band features the crème of the scene: Manus Lunny, Donald
Shaw, Ed Boyd, John Joe Kelly, Dezi Donnelly, Alan Kelly etc. For the concert
in the fruitmarket, Michael had a good programme, starting with a traditional
backing of only guitar and bodhran, then with the time, more and more musicians
come onto stage and the music gets more and more progressive without losing
its strong traditional roots. Each additional music adds his own bit to the
soundscape. Both music and production wise Michael has created a total art
work.
Read the FolkWorld Celtic Connections Review
(in German) and the CD review of Mike
McGoldrick.
- Haugaard & Høirup at the TFF Rudolstadt
2000
Magic fiddle and guitar/singing duo from Denmark, with lovely performance.
Read the FolkWorld Rudolstadt Review
and the Interview with the duo.
- BEV (BonificaEmilianaVeneta) at the TFF Rudolstadt
2000
New Italian Folk of this exciting young band.
Read the FolkWorld Rudolstadt Review
and the Interview with the band.
- BUB at 1st International Folk Festival
Tilburg, Holland
Great fresh instrumental folk music from Flanders, with a lot of groove.
Read the FolkWorld Review of the Tilburg
Festival.
- Ambrozijn at 1st FolkWoods Festival Eindhoven
and 1st International Folk Festival Tilburg, both Holland.
Innovative Music from Flanders, with unusual arrangements of Flemish and
French songs.
Read the FolkWorld Review of the Tilburg
Festival, of FolkWoods Festival,
and the interview with Ambrozijn.
- Dona Rosa in the Börse in Wuppertal,
Germany.
Songs from the streets of Lisboa, presented by the blind street singer
Dona Rosa.
Read the FolkWorld CD Review.
- Plommon in the meeting room at Landesstelle
Unna Massen, Germany.
The five Swedish girls have a very fresh and friendly performance, playing
the Swedish Spelmans-music by heart. Their performance has improved considerably
during the last years, making them now to a real audiences' favourite. At
this very concert, the girls could impress the large percentage of Russians
in the audience with their language skills...
Read the interview with Plommon in FolkWorld
issue 1.
- Calico in the big hall at Landesstelle
Unna Massen, Germany.
Young fresh Irish band with two fiddles, uillean pipes, voice and string instruments.
Read the FolkWorld CD review.
The 2000 FolkWorld Competition
What were your favourite three Folk CDs published in 2000?
You can win one of two packs of 4 CDs.
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online magazine Nr. 17
© The Mollis - Editors
of FolkWorld; Published 12/2000
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