29.11.10

Family Borges


B R A Z I L I A N 
FO L K   A R T
Woodcuts by the Borges Family
  
here

Artist and poet José Francisco Borges is Brazil's best-known folk artist working in the wood-cut medium, and his work has been exhibited all over the world. But he comes out of a long tradition of folk poet/artists who publish their own work in the form of small (generally about 6" by 9") cheap chap-books or pamphlets written in verse, known as folhetos. They are also known as literatura de cordel after the way vendors sell them in the marketplace, hanging over a string. This tradition (including the work of Borges) is described in detail by Candace Slater in her book Stories on a String. Other artists working in the folheto woodcut medium include José's sons, José Miguel da Silva and Ivan Borges, his brother Amaro Francisco Borges, his nephews, Givanildo and Severino, Marcelo Soares, and Abrao Batista of Juareiro do Norte in Ceara state.


28.11.10

Miguel, Miguel, Miguel,

  
Jatun Cayambe
Ecuador

1989

Tracks:

Nº Titulo - AUTORES - Ritmo - Region

01 Toros de pueblo - Folk.-ÑANDA MAÑACHI - sanjuanito - Cotacachi
02 Los dos hermanitos - Folk.- JUAN CAYAMBE - bomba - Chimborazo
03 Punto de Guaranga - CARLOS ET JULIO ARGUEDAS
04 Amenazas - Folk.- ÑANDA MAÑACHI - sanjuanito - Zuleta
05 Ñuca casaray - FolK.- BANDA DE ANDRADE MARÍN - cumbia - Imbabura
06 Cachiyaco, Aloburo, Caboyal - Folk.- JUAN CAYAMBE - bomba - Ambuqui
07 Jatun cayambe - Folk.- BOLIVIA MANTA - san juan - Imbabura
08 Negra muele caña - Folk.- JUAN CAYAMBE - bomba - Valle del Chota
09 Yana urcu - Folk.- ÑANDA MAÑACHI - sanjuanito - Imbacocha
10 Avecillas - Folk.- BANDA DE ANDRADE MARÍN - albazo - Atuntaqui
11 Por arriba corre el agua - Folk.- JUAN CAYAMBE - sanjuanito - Yoguin
12 Huicucha - Folk.- CARLOS PERUGACHI - Imbabura
13 Cuchara de palo - Folk.- ÑANDA MAÑACHI - sanjuanito - Angochahua
14 Miguel, Miguel - Folk.- JUAN CAYAMBE - bomba - Manzana Huarangui
15 Pimampiro - CARLOS ET JULIO ARGUEDAS
  
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Músico Ecuatoriano que desde niño supo lo que era la música autóctona del ecuador. Jatun Cayambe, de familia muy humilde, sin estudios y una vida llevadera en el campo comenzó a darse cuenta que le gustaba frecuentar cualquier lugar donde hubiera música. Con su arpa, poco a poco,  aprendió a tocar a su propia manera.
   
Laurent Aubert, director de los talleres de etnomusicología de Ginebra, comentaba en marzo de 1989, refiriéndose al disco Jatún Cayambe —que reunía las grabaciones que había realizado con este arpista desde 1973 y que tuve el privilegio de conocer, mientras tocaba en medio de la indiferencia general, en la plaza del mercado de Ibarra, Ecuador—:  “Más afín a lo que esperamos está la propuesta del grupo Ñanda Mañachi,  liberada de las escorias del folclorismo, su música reúne el respeto del repertorio tradicional con una interpretación viva y calurosa. En cuanto a Juan Cayambe, el viejo arpista, encarna él solo toda el alma de la música popular ecuatoriana”. 

The Origins, Influences and Development of Ecuadorian Music

Ecuador is home to a number of cultures, including the Mestizo culture and a unique blend of Afro-Ecuadorian culture. Afro-Ecuadorians are the descendants of African slaves who worked on the coastal sugar plantations in the sixteenth century. The Afro-Ecuadorians that are present in Ecuador today are famous for their marimba music as well as their many music and dance festivals. Long before the Spanish had conquered Ecuador, and even before the rise of the Inca civilization, the diverse native cultures of the region had rich musical traditions. It is clear that music has always played an important role in the ancient Andean people’s lives as archaeologists have found some very old instruments, such as drums, flutes, trumpets and other musical artifacts, in ancient tombs.

When the Spanish, with their Catholic missionaries and their African slaves, conquered Ecuador in the 16th century, many other musical styles were introduced. The mixture of the indigenous, Spanish and African music and sounds have formed very distinctive music styles that are present today.

Ecuador is well-known for marimba, a unique form of music that was introduced by the Esmeraldas. It is a direct and virtually unchanged import from the Western Africa region. Marimba is played on a musical instrument of the same name. The instrument features wooden bars tuned to produce a chromatic scale and with resonators, and these bars are played with small mallets.

Pasillo, pasacalle and yarabi are also very popular forms of music in Ecuador. El pasillo is played with an instrument that usually has six strings which are either strummed or plucked like the strings of a guitar, and the rondin, which is similar to a flute. The musical style is usually down tempo and it is descended from the waltz. Pasacalle is a form of dance music, while the sentimental yarabi is probably the most popular form in Ecuador.
The inhabitants of the Chota River Valley have also invented a form of music called the bomba, which has achieved a bit of a reputation outside the region.

source
 

27.11.10

Boi

(Foto: The Art Archive / Musée des Antiquités St Germain en Laye / Gianni Dagli Orti)

26.11.10

Piano

  
Didier Squiban
Porz Gwenn
(18 variations pour piano)
1999

Tracks:

1. Tal ar mor (Bord de mer)
2. Kastellig (Petit château)
3. Forzh penaoz
4. Diskan
5. Petit air marin
6. Cantique Breton
7. Marche
8. Airs de gavotte
9. Nominoë
10. Choral
11. An dro de pont Kalleg
12. Ar paotr yaouank kozh
13. Sur la route de Saint-Claude
14. Ridée de Loperhet
15. Rond de Molène
16. Ronds d'Iroise
17. Ar c'hoadig
18. Porz Gwenn (Port blanc)

Didier Squiban: piano, compositions et arrangements
  
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"Aucune réserve pour le voyage que nous offre Didier Squiban, de bout en bout enthousiasmant. Il explique son travail dans le très beau livret (les photographies sont signées Michel Thersiquel) qui accompagne l'album. On le lit, on l'écoute, on songe à Bach, à Keith Jarrett. On prend la mer dans le sillage d'un piano marin." A.M. PAQUOTTE / ffff TELERAMA

"Ces variations pour piano sont d'une beauté pénétrante comme le tranchant d'un cristal de roche. Oublions les références aux pianistes romantiques et imaginons plutôt un Keith Jarrett apaisé, bercé par les vagues de la mer la plus vivante du monde : c'est la Bretagne unique, celle d'un tempérament sans concession." J. DELLI FIORI / ****JAZZMAN

"Composées ou improvisées, ces pièces déclinent un thème qui sera présenté en toute fin de disque, à la beauté sans fioritures. Si l'influence traditionnelle est plus ou moins appuyée, la mélancolie est toujours présente tout au long de ce voyage en Bretagne dont on aurait tort de ne pas vouloir être." D. SANSON / CLASSICA
  
 Didier Squiban's piano compositions are harmoniously old-fashioned, melodically pleasing, rythmically stimulating. Recorded in a chapel, the sound quality is outstandingly clear and bright in all tonal ranges. Mr. Squiban is an accomplished technician who plays his own compositions with the insight and feeling to produce a thoroughly satisfying artistic entertainment. In this day of raucous pop-music, a sound which seems a bit out of date puts to shame the current simple minded caterwauling passing itself off as music. Didier Squiban deserves to be popular.
By Dan Heines (Milan, Italy)
  


25.11.10

Voice & Piano

     
Yann-Fañch Kemener
Didier Squiban
Île - Exil
1996

Tracks:

   1. Marie Louison
   2. Le chant des métamorphoses
   3. Gousperoù ar raned / Ar rannoù
   4. Hanter dro: Duhont 'ar ar Mane
   5. Evnig bihan
   6. Soubenn al laezh
   7. Ar seizh avel
   8. An oed a driwerc'h vle
   9. Drouk-kinnig neumenoioù
  10. Résurgence - Du côté de l'enfance
  11. Gavotenn: Ar martolod yaouank (Appel; Gavotte)
  12. Je te chante mon pays
  13. Plach'ig eusa
  14. Skolvan
  15. Aberioù
  16. Gwerz ker is
  17. Kontadenn (récit des pêcheurs)

Personnel:

Yann-Fañch Kemener: chant
Didier Squiban: piano, arrangements
Yann Paranthoen: images sonores
 
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"C'est l'heure de la maturité pour le duo formé par le chanteur breton à la douce voix haute, Yann-Fañch Kemener, et le pianiste forgé au classique et au jazz, Didier Squiban." E. AZOULAY / ffff TELERAMA

"Le piano de Didier Squiban ouvre de nouveaux horizons sonores en mettant la voix de Yann-Fanch Kemener en valeur." J.Y. HINAULT / OUEST-FRANCE

"Un superbe hommage à la Bretagne. Et à son peuple." P. MORVAN / LE PEUPLE BRETON

"Ile-Exil is more than just a compact disc of music. Both Yann-Fanch Kemener and Didier Squiban are at their very best." L. KUTER / BRO NEVE

Ile-Exil (1996) est une invitation au voyage. A la musique et au chant, se mêlent un univers sonore que l'on doit à Yann Paranthoën. Les deux compères véhiculent, au cours de ce voyage, une émotion grandissante. Ce disque comporte également quelques gwerzioù dansées. Le champ rythmé est modifié pour s'adapter aux règles de danse.
 
© Michel Thersiquel
 

24.11.10

Piano (16)

 
Didier Squiban
Molène

1997

Tracks:

1. Suite Nr. 1 "Tri Men": 1. ArBaradoz 4:25
2. Suite Nr. 1 "Tri Men": 2. AnAlac'h 1:13
3. Suite Nr. 1 "Tri Men": 3. Suite d'An Dro du Pays Vannetais 3:59
4. Suite Nr. 1 "Tri Men": 4. Ledenez 3:26
5. Suite Nr. 1 "Tri Men": 5. Kost Ar C'hoat 5:05
6. Suite Nr. 1 "Tri Men": 6. Tri Men 4:33
7. Suite Nr. 2 "Ker Eon": 1. Iroise 3:17
8. Suite Nr. 2 "Ker Eon": 2. Suite de Gavottes des Montagnes 3:02
9. Suite Nr. 2 "Ker Eon": 3. AnSkoliater 2:26
10. Suite Nr. 2 "Ker Eon": 4. Trugerekat Men Dous 3:02
11. Suite Nr. 2 "Ker Eon": 5. Ker Eon 3:39
12. Suite Nr. 2 "Ker Eon": 6. Kerzhadenn-Pedenn 4:11
13. Suite Nr. 2 "Ker Eon": 7. Variations Sur Laridé à 6 Temps 4:45
14. Suite Nr. 3 "Bannec": 1. Marche des Conscrits du Faouët     4:08
15. Suite Nr. 3 "Bannec": 2. Enez Eusa     5:05
16. Suite Nr. 3 "Bannec": 3. Me Zo Ganet E Kreiz Ar Mor 3:49
17. Suite Nr. 3 "Bannec": 4. An Oed a Driverc'h Vle 3:06
18. Suite Nr. 3 "Bannec": 5. Bannec 2:17
  
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“Une réalisation exceptionnelle et uniquement pianistique sur fond de musique raditionnelle. Un disque ou même les silences font du bruit et ne sont jamais les mêmes.”
(J.-J. Boiron, Musique Bretonne)

Didier Squiban (born 23 September 1959 in Saint-Renan (Finistère)) is a French pianist and composer.

His musical work is a combination of traditional Breton music, jazz improvisation and classical romanticism and has added the piano to the repertoire of modern Breton music.

He has been influenced by Duke Ellington, Keith Jarrett, Charlie Parker and Bill Evans as well as Debussy, Stravinsky, Erik Satie, Darius Milhaud, Schönberg and Glenn Gould. In 1993, he worked as the accompanying pianist for the Breton singer Yann-Fañch Kemener in the acclaimed live show Héritage des Celtes and thereby got closer in touch with the music of his home region Brittany. In 1997, on the island of his ancestors, Molène, he recorded his first Breton solo piano album: "Molène".
 
  
 Outstanding pianist, arranger and composer, Didier Squiban is equally renowned as the director of his jazz orchestra. His musical work is the happy combination of traditional Breton music, jazz improvisation and classical romanticism. He reveals in this alchemy an exceptional talent.

    He begins the piano in 1959 with a classical background at the Brest Conservatoire of Music. As he discovers Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, he'll turn his music to jazz. A few years after, he'll go into Breton music, a music that surrounded him from 1987 to 1993 through concerts in common with Manu Lannhuel, Kristen Noguès...

    Since 1994, as he takes part to the 'Heritage des Celtes' and performs regularly with Yann-Fañch Kemener, he'll go deeper into Breton music and create his own show: 'Brest 96' with 'An Tour Tan'.

    In 1997 is produced his first solo album, 'Molène' with a huge welcome from the audience (Breton music as well as jazz or classical music lovers). Two years later, comes the second one 'Porz gwenn', in February 2000, his live album, recorded during the 1999 Festival de Lorient concert. And finally, the 'Symphonie Bretagne' where he's joined by the Bretagne Orchestra directed by Didier Benetti, the Contrepoint choir, Josik Allot and his bombard, Bernard le Dréau and René Goaer with their saxes, Alain Trévarin and his accordion and Jean Chevalier with his drums. An album orchestrated by Pierre-Yves Moign.

    The 'Rozbras'album, a new step into Dider's classical-jazzy-celtic musical world. Like 'Molène' and 'Porz gwenn', together with the CD comes a booklet with beautiful pictures by Michel Thersiquel, one of Brittany's most famous photographers.

The 'Ballades' album is a musical voyage along the Globe. From Marrakech or Istambul to Asia (where Didier had an important tour in 2002) and back to Scotland, Ireland and Brittany.

In the latest album, 'Symphonie Iroise', Didier meets once again the Orchestre de Bretagne directed by Alain Altinoglu and also his usual crew : Bernard Le Dréau playing saxophones, Alain Trévarin for accordeon, Jean Chevalier with the drums, Erwan Keravec the piper and Manu Lann Huel the singer.

source

photos de Michel Thersiquel



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23.11.10

Voices (3)

  
Yann-Fañch Kemener
Didier Squiban
Enez Eusa

1995
 
Tracks:

1. Plac'hig eusa
2. Gwerz Ker Ys
3. Primaozadenn
4. Me 'zo ganet e-kreiz ar mor
5. Marivonig an Dourduff
6. Primaozadenn war Plac'hig eusa
7. Ar Voraerion
8. Gwerz Penmarc'h
9. Primaozadenn war ar voraerion
10. Tri Martolod
11. Plac'hig eusa

Personnel:

Yann-Fañch Kemener: chant
Didier Squiban: piano
 
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As one of the best traditional singers today, Yann-Fañch Kemener also is one of the most famous. He established himself as a true musical ethnology specialist towards 'Kan ha diskan' and 'gwerz' traditions and took part in a very effective way to the singing revival in Brittany, its collection and its passing down. His singing is deeply rooted in a family tradition that he developped through many albums in which he recorded some of the songs he grew up with.

    He recorded his first L.P. at the age of 20 and will soon complete the largest discography of singing tradition in Brittany with five other L.P.s between 1977 and 1982 (Chants Profonds de Bretagne 1,2,3,4 and Kan Ha Diskan), all of them are unavailable of course. The oldest available C.D. is a rerecording of his 'Gwerzioù and sonioù', where he sings beautiful Breton laments.

    Beside his solo singing, he will also emerge on an other scene, the traditional folk one, where he adds his voice to the excellent musicians surrounding him in Barzaz. 
 
  This band will soon bring something very new to Breton music with new kinds of arrangements and the early presence of the pragramming playing together with Jean-Michel veillon's transverse wooden flute, Gilles Le Bigot's guitar, Alain Genty's bass guitar or Hopi Hopkins' bodhran , didgeridu...

    He also takes part to Skolvan's first two albums and to a "son et lumière" show together with Kristen Noguès, Jean-Louis Le Vallégant and pianist Didier Squiban.
 
  
 This is the beginning of a strong collaboration as Didier and Yann-Fañch will collaborate to offer a few masterpieces to Breton music.The first one is Brest 96, the official anthem to Brest 96 festival in which they are accompanied by a plethora of excellent musicians, and soon, as a duo, they really create a new style that nobody experienced before, a kind of chamber traditional singing expressed by three albums : Enez-Eusa, Île-Exil and Kimiad.

    He still continues to perform in solo or in duo for kan ha diskan together with Erik Marchand, Annie Ebrel, Valentine Colleter, Patrick Marie, Ifig Troadeg, Marcel Guilloux and recorded an album completely dedicated to this style of singing in which he invited all these friends.

    He actually sings together with Jean-François Corneloup Trio, a jazz band and they just received a great response from the audience during their concert at La Vilette, held on May the 2nd 2000.

    Yann-Fañch also took part to Dan Ar Braz' Heritage of the Celts and Alain Genty's latest album and presented a brand new edition book on the 'Barzaz Breiz' with a C.D. in which he's accompanied by the 'Maîtrise de Bretagne'.



22.11.10

Bagadoù

 
Bagadoù - L’Anthologie
2005

Tracks:

CD 1

01. Mont a rin da Saludin ma c’habiten – Bagad Kemper
02. Undeiz oan ëfoennat – Bagad Ronsed Mor
03. Bal et gavotte pourlet – Bagad Ronsed Mor
04. Marche – Bagad Sant-Nazer
05. Dérobées et tarentelles – Bagad Sant-Nazer
06. Marion les roses – Bagad ar Meilhoù – Glaz
07. Dans plin – Bagad Ar Meilhoù - Glaz
08. Eliz Iza – Bagad Bleimor
09. Suite montagne – Bagad Bleimor
10. Suite nantaise – Kevrenn Alre
11. A-barh jardin er Minour – Bagad Cap Caval
12. Suite de Kas-a-barh & de Kejaj – Bagad Cap Caval
13. A-barh jardin er Minour - Bagad Cap Caval
14. Suite Laridés six-temps gallo-vannetaises – Bagad Sonerien An Oriant
15. Clam – Bagad Qui-en-Groigne
16. Mélodie vannetaise – Bagad Qui-en-Groigne
17. Bigoud - Bagad Qui-en-Groigne

CD 2

01. Gwezenn ar labourer-douar – Kerlenn Pondi
02. Laride Mod-nevez – Kerlenn Pondi
03. Ton bale ar c’hezeg – Kerlenn Pondi
04. Kost ar c’hoad – Kerlenn Pondi
05. Kas a barh – Bagad Brieg
06. Porc qu’au pot – Bagad Brieg
07. Kanomp Noël – Bagada De Vannes – Er Melinerion
08. Marchalombe – Bagad Bro Kemperle
09. Hypnoz – Bagad Bro Kemperle
10. Suite de Loudéac – Bagad Gwengamp
11. Gavotte pourlet – Bagad Beuzeg Ar C’Hab
12. La marche amène – Kevrenn Brest Sant Mark
13. Gavotenn Ar Menez – Kevrenn Brest Sant Mark
14. Marie A’r M’enez – Bagad De Lann-Bihoué
15. suite Plinn – Bagad Keriz
16. Tuchant e arruiuo en hav – Kevrenn De Rennes
17. Marche du pays plin, dans tro-lin – Kevrenn De Rennes
  
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A bagad is a traditional Breton music orchestra. The association of a bombard with a Breton bagpipe ("biniou") has a long tradition in the Brittany countryside. However, the Bagad-type formation appeared in Brittany only at the end of the second world War. It was inspired from the Scottish Pipe Band movement, which includes bagpipes ("cornemuses") and percussions. After integrating the bombard and an increasing number of different percussions, the bagad today constitutes a completely original form of musical expression. Nearly a hundred of such groups exist and perform today in Brittany. They are echoed throughout France by a number of Bagadou created by "emigrated" Bretons in Paris, Bordeaux, or Strasbourg.

Nowadays, almost 80 bagadou compete in five grades of competition. The grade one bands have to compete twice a year. The first contest takes place in Brest (western Brittany) in February and the second one in Lorient in August. The best bands are proclaimed champions of Brittany. At Brest, the bands have to play for ten minutes, music from a breton region choosen by B.A.S (Breton RSPBA) a few months before. Half of the medley has to include dances from this region (there are more than 50 different dances in Brittany). At Lorient, the bagadou have to play for 15 minutes of Breton music but they can also play music from other countries. Four bands who still compete today have been Breton Champions since 1980: Bagad Kemper, Bagad Ronsed Mor, Kevren Alre and Bagad Kemperle.

A few bagadou also play Pipe Band music. There are three contests a year in Brittany. The most important one is the International Pipe band Championship in Lorient in august. A visiting Scottish or Irish P.B. has won every year except for 1999 when Bagad Kemperle (Kemperle and District Pipe Band) were the first breton Pipe Band to win this contest. Nowadays, the best breton Drum Corps playing scottish music is Kemperle (they have won five times the International Pipe Band Championship in Lorient but the best Breton ambassador to play Pipe Band music is undoubtedly the Bagad Cap Caval. They will perform this year in the grade two of World Pipe Band Championships.
 
   
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21.11.10

Bagad (2)

 
Bagad Kemperle
Pierrick Tanguy - Michel Godard
Kejadenn
1993

Tracks:

1. Doue lann (4'12)2. Mat'lot barreaux (5'35)3. Chat huant (3'15)4. Cayenne (4'50)5. "Doucement les basses" (improvisation: Godard, Hamoniaux) (1'44)6. Rigolo, rigole pas (4'47)7. D'accord, pas d'accord? - dedicated to Matilin an Dall (Godard) (3'23)8. Koad Kimerc'h (trad., arr. Le Vallegant, Tanguy) (4'02)9. L'homme rouge (4'37)10. Bomb-hard (5'40)11. Casino (3'08)12. Vord an elle (trad., arr. Tanguy) (2'48)13. Galicienne (4'07)14. Kejadenn (5'29)
  
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"(...) This should be a big seller among the pipe and drum aficionados, because it is just that. The group is made up of bagpipes (biniou), chanters (cornemuse is the word on the literature, but the notes are in French and cornemuse means bagpipe or chanter in that language, not the Renaissance soprano krummhorn), various sizes of shawm (bombarde), and of course lots of drums. Michel Godard is apparently a guest artist on this recording, as are Godard regulars (rencontre) Linda Bsiri (vocals), Jean-Louis Matinier (accordion), Philippe Deschepper (electric guitar), Jacques Mahieux (drum set) and Michael Riessler (saxophones & clarinets). I have divided the fourteen tracks on this CD into several categories: Scottish pipe band, pipe band emulating Egyptian double reed instruments, modern woodwinds, chanters only, Serpent plus pipes, Serpent/Tuba alone, and Michel & Linda (shades of "Le Chant").

The group plays four tracks which sound pretty much like traditional Scottish Pipe Band material; "Doue Lann", "Rigolo", "Casino" and "Galicienne". The variations here are shifts to the mid-eastern sound on "Doue Lann", the addition of tuba, accordion and Linda on "Casino", and the efforts of Riessler and his sax on "Galicienne". "Chat Huant" appears to be entirely of mid-eastern influence. On the track called "Cayenne", Riessler's klezmer clarinet is backed by Godard's tuba ground and drumset. The chanters get to shine on the 'dueling banjos'-like "Koad Kimerc'h", where the theme is constantly enhanced between alternating groups of players. The Serpent and bass clarinet are teamed with the bagpipes plus a vocalise on "Mat'lot Barreaux".

In a more avante garde style, "Doucement Les Basses" has Godard using Serpent and tuba effects, flutter tonguing and singing through the horn while the bass drum (presumably from the pipe band, not by Jacques Mahieux) thumps away in a totally unpredictable manner. The most unusual tracks are those pairing Godard and Linda Bsiri, and that magic they did well on "Le Chant" and "Aborigene" still works here. On "D'Accord, Pas D'Accord" Linda does her brand of sultry jazz-scat-vocalise with the Serpent doubling, and the chanters drone almost imperceptibly in the background. "L'Homme Rouge" has Linda mumbling and chirping, tuba rumbling almost subsonically, Serpent riffs, electric guitar 'bowing the strings' ethereal effects, and bass clarinet for good measure - neat piece. Michel and Linda again on "Bomb-Hard", where the chanters play a bagpipe-like drone chord, are suddenly replaced by virtuoso vocalise and/or Serpent vocalise, then chanters repeat with a different chord, followed by another bit of improvisation, and so on. "Vord An Elle" is just Linda and the Serpent. The recording ends with the title track "Kejadenn"; the accordion and tuba start with a slow duet, then the tempo picks up and drums are added, then faster and the pipe band joins in for the grand finale.

This CD is a truly unusual and stimulating effort. We all have a love-hate relationship with the bagpipe sound, and listening to these tracks can be a rather emotional experience, not to mention LOUD."

(Serpent Newsletter, 1994)

text found by LUCKY :)

 Bagad Bro Kemperle

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In the 130 year history of bagpipe bands, a Bagad (or bagadou for the plural form) is a relatively recent phenomenon which is very similar to Scottish Pipe Bands. The first Bagad was formed in 1949 by Railway Workers in Carhaix. Bagad Kemperle is the oldest Bagad today, founded in 1949. Over one hundred Bagadou were founded during the following years. A Bagad consists of three groups of instruments: bagpipes, bombardes and drums.

more

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20.11.10

El baile del pato

   
Bagad Brieg
Karamba ! Le Canard Déchaîné

2005

Tracks:

1. Kosmos
2. La boum
3. Africa zob
4. Maille flowers ar bio ty fioul
5. Gavotte des montagnes
6. Fou d fouf
7. La salsa de salsifis
8. Kas a bar
9. Psycho reel zikko
10. Belles of dunblane
11. Jojo la frite
12. Karamba!
 
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Description rapide:

Un live, un rêve, un long rêve émaillé de bombardes claires, de rythmes saccadés comme des claquettes, du souffle puissant des cornemuses… voilà pour la solidité du « trad ». et voici qu'éclatent la fantaisie, le son lumineux des cuivres, que s'avance le velours de la guitare, l'émotion de la flûte jaspée de cordes et du doigté sur piano électrique : breizhoù universels, les « brieg » s'inspirent aussi de musique andine, de sonorités berbères. mélangez le tout, secouez très fort, ça donne du rock celtique. c'est fou ! fou ! fou !… » Angèle Jacq

A live recording, a dream, a perpetual dream of clear bombards, toe tapping rhythms and the powerful playing of the bagpipes that's the traditional background...

This is Bagad Brier... on a magic carpet flying to another planet.
 
 
 
***
  
A bagad is a Breton band, composed of bagpipes (Breton: binioù, French: Cornemuse), bombardes and percussion (made up of snare, tenor and bass drums). The pipe band tradition in Brittany was inspired by the Scottish example and has developed since the mid-20th century. A bagad plays mainly Breton music, but a bagad's music is evolutionary (new forms and musical ideas are experimented with at each annual national competition).

The plural for bagad is unusual in that many are referred to as bagadoù but for two, three or any other specified number they are simply referred to as bagad (following the rules of Breton grammar).

Every major town and city in Brittany has at least one bagad and there are over 80 in total. There are also many bagadoù outside Brittany, owing to large-scale Breton emigration throughout France.

For competition purposes the bagadoù are ranked into five categories. Major competitions take place annually in Brest and in Lorient, where the National Championship takes place during the InterCeltic Festival in August.
  
 

19.11.10

Windows '64

image © Antonio Frasconi
From See Again, Say Again by Antonio Frasconi, 1964.

18.11.10

Keltia

  
Music From Brittany
Keltia

1995

Tracks:

1. Al Leanez - Domingig Bouchaud
2. Lavaromp Ar Chapeled - Domingig Bouchaud
3. Gavotenn Ar Menez - Fransou Menez
4. Suite Fisel - Jean Baron
5. Suite De Ronds De Loudeac - Christian Desnos
6. Gavotte Pourlette - Skolvan
7. Suite De Haute Bretagne - Bagad Kemper
8. Bonaparte's retreat - Jean-Pierre Lecuyer
9. Aires De Pontevedra - Patrick Molard
10. Martoloded Yaouank - Gwalarn
11. Meulomp - Anne Auffret /Jean Baron/ Michel Ghesquiere
12. Pe Trouz War An Douar - Jean Baron/Michel Gwesquiere
13. Kas Ha Barh - Storvan
  
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An intriguing selection of Breton music

By A Customer

The titles represented on this CD are extracts from albums produced or distributed by Keltia Musique, a company located in Quimper,(Brittany), France, that specializes in Celtic music. They are also on the 'net, if you need to contact them.

The first 2 cuts are Dominig Bouchard, from KMCD 03, Harpe Celtique, and are traditional Breton harp instrumentals with a truly ethereal sound.

Tracks 3, 8 and 9 are from KMCD 01, Musiques, chants et danses de Bretagne.

-Track 3 is an ethnic-sounding Kan Ha Diskan - unaccompanied (male, here) singers, with the final notes overlapping.

-Track 8 is a hurdy-gurdy/guitar treatment of Bonaparte's Retreat, by Jean-Pierre Lecuyer. It has a satisfying feel, and is very rhythmic and melodic.

-Track 9 is a great bagpipe set by Patrick Molard, Aires de Pontevedra. The instrumentation is listed as cornemuse, which is French for bagpipes, generally, or for the Breton pipes 'biniou bras.'

Title 4 is from KMCD 07, Danses de Bretagne, (hi there, Breton-Fr dance listers, this CD must be for you!) and features bombarde (an oboe-type instrument which sounds more like a trumpet) and biniou-koz (the high-pitched Breton bagpipe). These instruments are traditionally paired, and here the selection is Gavotenn ar Menez, by Jean Baron and Christian Anneix.

Track 5 is from the diatonic accordion CD, KMCD 08, and is by Christian Desnos. Very danceable.

Selection 6 is the only cut from a different label, listed only as ADIK 70, and it is a light gavotte by the ensemble Skolvan.

Track 7 is Bagad Kemper's 'Suite from Upper Brittany,' using the bombarde-cornemuse combination along with drums ("batteries"). Upper Brittany (Haute-Bretagne in French, and Breizh-Uhel in Breton) is the eastern half of Brittany. The music is uplifting, and one can imagine oneself watching the musicians and dancers parading down the street.

Track 10 is by Gwalarn, off KMCD 10, and is really good, a haunting Breton traditional song, Martoloded Yaouank. The singer is reminicent of the Breton Bard himself, Alan Stivell. The muscial accompaniment, however, is synthesizer - tastefully done, for a synth.

Track 11, my favourite, is a beautiful treatment of the Breton hymn, Meulomp. This is by Anne Auffret, chanteuse exceptionnelle and collector. She is accompanied with harp, bombarde (Jean Baron), organ and ocarina. This track, as well as track 12, are from her CD Sonj, Musiques Sacre/es de Bretagne, KMCD 17.

The final cut on this CD is Kas Ha Barh by Storvan, from KMCD24. This is a great dance piece, with the typical Eastern sounding flavour so distinctive in Breton trad music. The instrumentation sounds like fiddle, flute, bouzouki, and bombarde.
 

17.11.10

A Rose...

image © Antonio Frasconi
  
 

16.11.10

Voices (2)


Women of Brittany
1996

Tracks:

1) Marie-Aline Lagadic: Kloareg koad ar rannou
2) Klervi Riviere: Chanig Manuel
3) Annie Ebrel: Feunteun arwaz-haleg
4) Lydie Le Gall: Par un lundi matin
5) Marie-Aline Lagadic & Klervi Riviere: Prinsez an amour
6) Marie-Aline Lagadic & Klervi Riviere: Labousig ar hoad
7) Lydie Le Gall: PP Ma Commere et ma mie
8) Annie Ebrel: Sekrejou ar hloareg
9) Klervi Riviere: Naig Kalvez
10) Marie-Aline Lagadic: Katellig
11) All: Le Tic-Tac du moulin

All unaccompanied vocals.

Some notes in English but mostly in French including the lyrics.
Covers three 'regions' of the Celtic part of France.
  
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 The CD is exactly what you'd imagine - Lydie Le Gall, Annie Ebrel, Marie-Aline Lagadic and her daughter Klervi Riviere singing wholly traditional songs in Breton and French, accapella, individually and collectively. The women of Brittany have always been essential to the legacy of the vocal traditions of their culture, as the notes point out, which is good to know and here are songs from the Bigouden region, Upper Cornouaille and French speaking Brittany. The "Gwerz" (Breton lament) is well to the fore, and the lyrics are predominantly of love - unrequited, attempted and spurned. It happens every day of course in traditional song and these are excellent performances by superb singers at the peak of their powers. Thankfully the booklet gives a precis of each lyric - especially helpful to the non-Breton speaker/reader! My favourite item is "Labousig ar hoad" with a lovely melody sung by Marie-Aline and Klervi which tells of a sailor asking a young woman to go with him on a boat to England - an offer which is most likely being made even as you read this and one that is refused. Plus ca change!

~Clive Pownceby

  

15.11.10

See and Say

image © Antonio Frasconi
  
Cow from "See and Say" by Antonio Frasconi

  
Antonio Frasconi was born on April 28, 1919, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Italian parents who had immigrated to South America during World War I. The family soon moved to Montevideo, Uruguay where Franco and Armida (Carbonai) Frasconi ran a restaurant. Antonio enjoyed drawing, painting, and reading as a boy, and was delighted when he was apprenticed to a printer at age twelve. He began to publish cartoons and drawings in satirical newspapers while still a teenager and started to experiment with woodcuts in the early 1940s. He moved to the United States in 1945 to study at the Art Students' League and the New School for Social Research, both in New York City.

Frasconi quickly gravitated to woodcut and lithograph as his primary media. By the early 1950s he was recognized as one of America's foremost woodcut artists, achieving much success in sales and exhibitions. Frasconi married Leona Pierce, an artist, in 1951. He wrote and illustrated See and Say: A Picture Book in Four Languages (1955) for his son, Pablo, to teach him that there were many different languages to use to describe things. He has produced other bilingual books both to teach other languages and to foster a respect for other cultures in children.

Frasconi has served as teacher and artist-in-residence at various universities and institutions across the United States. He has supported mass-produced graphic art as a means to expose more people to artwork. Understandably, his own work has been commissioned for advertising, magazine illustrations, record covers, Christmas cards, and a U.S. postage stamp. Frasconi works from his home in South Norwalk, Connecticut.
  
 
 
 
**♥**
  

14.11.10

Voices (1)

  
Annie Ebrel
'Tre ho ti ha ma hini

1996

Tracks:

1.     Son ar c'hafe     01:08
2.     Robardig     04:32
3.     An daou goñje     07:00
4.     An dragon yaouank     03:58
5.     Renean ar Glas     10:35
6.     Parrez Kanuhel     07:49
7.     Al laouelan     05:55
8.     C'hwist 'ta     00:19

Guests: 

Noluen Le Buhe, 
Marcel Guillou.
  
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Coming from Lohuec in Central Brittany, Annie Ebrel has been since she was 14 years old, the ambassadress of breton musical culture in the world. With a single voice which distils with a rare smoothness all the ranges of the emotion, she clears new grounds of the Breton song.

***

Annie sings in Breton, usually “a capella” or with sparse instrumentation, and can veer into almost Breton scat-singing and jazz versions of “kan a diskan” songs, lesser known traditional folk standards, ballads and laments. She has a collaboration with Ricardo Da Fra on was it the double bass, called “Voulouz Loar” (Velvet moon) if you prefer some jazzlike qualities of her voice, which is very strong but pleasing mid-range, and smooth, like velvet.

***

Annie is now the most famous traditional female Breton singer as she elevated the a-capella Breton tradition to a never-reached level since she toured with Riccardo Del Fra in different major Concert Halls all over Brittany. She often sings on her own but also likes to join other singers such as Noluen le Buhe or Yann-Fañch Kemener and has taken part in different collective recordings. Her masterpiece still is the 'Dibenn' album where she added her brilliant voice to the excellent musicians from Hastañ.
  
  
TRADITIONAL SONG IN BRITTANY

Song is at the heart of Breton music. In contrast to instrumental traditions, women have an equally important role in song. Traditional song in Brittany is unaccompanied and unison in nature. The vast majority of ballad singing is performed solo. In both the French-language tradition of eastern Brittany and the Breton language songs of western Brittany, response style singing is very common, especially in songs for dance. In contrast to other areas of western Europe (including Brittany's Celtic neighbors) singing for dancing is very common and well appreciated. Like instrumental traditions, song repertoires and the use of song varies from one region of Brittany to another--song for a particular dance will be found in the region where that dance is traditionally found.

There are several words one finds associated with Breton song that merit a brief definition.

Kan ha diskan is a particular type of responsive singing for dance found in the Breton-speaking areas of central western Brittany. Most commonly, it is sung by two people, a kaner ("singer" in Breton) and diskaner ("counter-singer"). The prefix "dis" is difficult to define, but in this case it has the sense of opposition as in rolling/unrolling, winding/unwinding. The kaner begins and the diskaner repeats each phrase. The unique aspect of this style of responsive singing is the fact that the singers take up their singing on the last few syllables of each other's phrases.

 Gwerz is a Breton language term that has no good English translation, although in French it is roughly translated as complainte. It refers to a repertoire of ballads in the Breton language in which historical, legendary, or dramatic events are recounted. Son is the Breton term for all Breton language songs other than the gwerz. Included in this category are love songs, drinking songs, counting songs, and other "lighter" songs for dancing.



13.11.10

Timple & Piano

   
José Antonio Ramos & Polo Orti 
para timple y piano
2003

Tracks:

01. Our Spanish Love Song 2:58
02. La retamilla 4:18
03. Song for Gary 3:40
04. Bem Leve 3:23
05. Englishman in N.Y. 4:21
06. Bebe 6:05
07. Alice in Wonderland 5:44
08. Bossa D'Compra 3:50
09. Nairina 3:28
10. Song for Chick 3:52
11. Lo divino 2:58
  
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 Polo Orti

After graduating from the Valencia, Madrid and Tenerife Classical Music Conservatory in 1990 (Degree with a Major in Classical Piano), Ortí travelled to the USA with a scholarship to study at Berklee College of Music (Boston). It was in this city where he also received composition lessons from the renowned Lyle Mays, keyboardist of the Pat Metheny Group. In the States, Ortí played countless shows in jazz clubs. He also toured the Nordic countries with his band "COCO”. Throughout his musical career, Ortí has received several awards both for his compositions and his performances. In 1991, vibraphonist Gary Burton, together with guitarist Pat Metheny, Mitchel Forman, Will Lee and Peter Eskine, include three compositions by Ortí (Quick and Running, Autumn and Tiempos Felices) in their album "Reunion" (GRP 1990), which reached the top of the U.S. Billboard list. Ortí has continued recording. His first live recording from 1993, “Improvisaciones sobre Piano” was warmly welcomed by critics. In 1998 introduced his album “Polo” produced by Gabino Diego (Actor & Oscar winner for best foreigner movie) In 2000, he also released “Polo Ortí Group Live”, recorded at the International Canary Islands Heineken Jazz Festival. His most recent album is “Suite de la Amistad”, composed by Ortí. A double CD and DVD recorded live in July 2006 at the Tenerife Auditorium with Polo Ortí Quartet, Gary Burton, Tenerife Symphony Orchestra (OST) conducted by Joan Albert Amargos, and Jorge Pardo, world famous Flamenco flute musician (has toured with Chick Corea and Paco de Lucía among others). Orti has done countless performances in cities around the world (Boston, New York, LA, Mexico City, Quito, Berlin, Oslo, Milan, Manchester, etc. ..) and all over Spain, whether at International Jazz Festivals, local venues, theaters and public spaces with different formations: Polo Ortí Jazz Piano, Polo Ortí & Symphony Orchestra, Polo Ortí Trio or Polo Ortí Group. POLO ORTI has shared stage with international artists such as Herbie Hancock, the Yellow Jackets, Tete Montoliú, the New York Voices, Eric Marienthal Band, Michel Camilo Trio, to name a few. He has also worked together with world - acclaimed musicians like Gary Burton, Antonio Sánchez, Scott Colley or Julian Lage. 
 


José Antonio Ramos
 
José Antonio Ramos is an artist from the Canary Isles who has introduced the timple in a completely new acoustic field. His incursions in several genres (jazz, flamenco, Celtic, symphonic, etc) have caused admiration in everyone that have listen his work and his new proposals.

José Antonio Ramos was born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Canary Isles) in November 10th, 1969. At the age of nine he started his timple studies with Totoyo Millares. Later, he continued his education in the conservatorio superior de música de Las Palmas GC studying classic guitar, but also interested in different folk sources such as jamming, from which, later on,  he took information for use it in his own way of personal expression, which is the timple.

He won the Premio nacional de musica folk para jovenes interpretes in 1998 in Santiago de Compostela. This prize triggered the development of his career, which started with the creation of a group called Trío Timple. He recorded two albums as leader of this group (Más que un suñeo and Tanekra) and travelled around every lost corner in the Canary Isles. In this stage of his work it is worth noticing the performance he gave in the day of the Canary Isles (1996) (Timple. El sonido de Canarias) in which some of the most notable instrumentalists and singer of were invited.

After this stage with the Trío Timple, he started his carrer as a soloist  with an intense activity, giving concerts, seminars, conferences in palces in and out the Canary Isles. In this new period, and for the first time in history of music, he made a name for an electro acoustic timple. It was a new project designed by himself and built up by other luthiers as Jesús Machín and Juan Molina.

This period, up to now, includes four albums. He has also worked with many different artists, both in albums (more than 50) and live performances. Some of them with Carlos Nuñez, Kepa Junkera, Pedro Guerra, Rosana, Orquesta filarmónica de Gran Canaria, Mestisay, los Sabandeños, The Chieftains, Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, Jorge Pardo, Juan Manuel Cañizares, Javier Krahe, Bau, Mari Carmen Mulet, Taburiente, Javier Ruibal, Pancho Amat, Polo Ortí, Jose Manuel Ramos, Camarón de Pitita, Andreas Prittwitz, René Gonzalez, Chago Melián, Charlie Moreno, Luis Pastor, etc.

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