#4942, Vocal Music Rooted in Folk Traditions
There's music by singer/composers who draw on folk traditions: Elina Duni and her quartet (Albania); Akkajee (Finland); Savina Yannatou (Greece); Kirsten Braaten Berg (Norway); and from singer, violinist, and composer Alice Zawadzki who draws on Polish folk song and music from the Sephardic tradition.
Hear trio music from Anglo-Polish singer and composer, violinist and pianist Alice Zawadzki , together with long-term collaborators Fred Thomas (piano, drums, vielle) and Misha Mullov Abbado (double bass). Zawadzki has scored episodes of Black Mirror, collaborated with Korean traditional musicians, and performed as a vocal soloist in countless new music works. Her 2024 debut album for ECM, Za Górami fuses folk song, chamber music, and improvisation in music with both Polish roots, and music sung in Ladino from the Sephardic tradition.
Listen to music from Finnish experimental folk music duo Akkajee [Meriheini Luoto (nyckelharpa, vocals etc.) & Iida Savolainen (viola, vocals etc.)] in a song with excerpts from several childbirth spells from the 19th century. The prescription instructs the person in labor to drink horse sweat while threading oneself through a horse collar three times, and reciting the “Our Father” prayer three times backwards. The tune is from their album from their album, 'Lastenkerääjä' ('Child Collector.')
Then, hear Albanian folk song arranged for jazz-ish quartet from Elina Duni; a lament from Greek composer and vocalist Savina Yannatou; and a Norwegian folk tale performed by Kirsten Bråten Berg. The story is about a water spirit, Nykkjen, and a young maiden Heiemo, who sings so sweetly that Nykkjen hears her and wants to find her and marry her. However, Nykkjen, the water spirit/shape-shifter is not someone a young maiden would want to marry. Heiemo stabs Nykkjen with knives and leaves him for ravens and "earth dogs" to eat. Br00tal… - Caryn Havlik
Program #4942, Music From Women Vocalists Rooted in Folk Traditions (First aired 10/30/2024)
ARTIST: Elina Duni Quartet
WORK: Ka Nje Mot [1:10]
RECORDING: Matane Malit
SOURCE: ECM Records
INFO: ecmrecords.com
ARTIST: Alice Zawadzki, Fred Thomas, Misha Mullov-Abbado
WORK: Gustavo Santaolalla: Suéltate Las Cintas [6:23]
RECORDING: Za Górami
SOURCE: ECM Records
INFO: ecmrecords.com
ARTIST: Magos Herrera / Paola Prestini
WORK: The Creation of the Birds / La creacion de las aves [4:36]
RECORDING: Paola Prestini and Magos Herrera: Con Alma
SOURCE: National Sawdust Tracks
INFO: visionintoart.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Alice Zawadzki, Fred Thomas, Misha Mullov-Abbado
WORK: Los Bilbilikos [5:25]
RECORDING: Za Górami
SOURCE: ECM Records
INFO: ecmrecords.com
ARTIST: Elina Duni Quartet
WORK: Ka Nje Mot [5:06]
RECORDING: Matane Malit
SOURCE: ECM Records
INFO: ecmrecords.com
ARTIST: Various: Kirsten Braaten Berg + Ale Moller
WORK: Heiemo og Nykkjen [5:00]
RECORDING: Nordisk Sang
SOURCE: New Albion
INFO: Available at AppleMusic
ARTIST: Savina Yannatou
WORK: Me To Fengari Perpato (With the Moon I'm Walking) [3:32]
RECORDING: Terra Nostra
SOURCE: ECM 1856
INFO: ecmrecords.com
ARTIST: Akkajee
WORK: Syntymä (Childbirth) [7:41]
RECORDING: Lastenkerääjä
SOURCE: akkajee.bandcamp.com
INFO: https://eclipsemusic.lnk.to/LastenkerjAkkajee
ARTIST: Alice Zawadzki, Fred Thomas, Misha Mullov-Abbado
WORK: Za Górami [6:42]
RECORDING: Za Górami
SOURCE: ECM Records
INFO: ecmrecords.com
