Klezzmates
November 19th, 2007This weekend the LeÅ›nica “castle” centre of culture hosted Muzyki Akordeonowej Harmonia Viva, some sort of accordion music festival, with workshops, a competition, and concerts. For some reason I have a special soft spot for accordion music.
So yesterday evening I took the tram out to the end of the line — LeÅ›nica, to hopefully listen to some accordion music in the closing concert of the event.
In my ignorance, I was expecting a band with two or more accordions, perhaps some singing, and German style folk music ala Oktoberfest, or polkas. Actually, we received Klezzmates.
These guys are supercool. For a start they all wear red tinted glasses. They are totally relaxed on stage. Not to mention the music. It seemed to me like Klezzmates were sent here from some exotic and far away Balkan capital or perhaps outer space to demonstrate to the world how their music sounds.
They were masters in creating a mood. To the accordion’s drone and a steady line plucked on the double bass, the clarinetist added shrieks and wails, and the violinist interspersed scratchy string noises. The drummer posessed an arsenal of tom toms to hit, lots rattly things to shake, and a tiny cymbal that went ¡ding! They would build up like this and then suddenly explode into the refrain. The noises that came out of the clarinet and violin were a controlled chaos.
I was surprised at how understated the accordion’s part was, considering that they were playing at an accordion event, and the accordionist was also the band leader. However I think the accordion was the most important piece of this band, and its subtlety is the key to their success. The accordion provided an additional bass line and rhythm, making the sound full, and then was also a solo instrument or accompaniment. Of course it’s not as versatile as a keyboard but being a wind instrument it has a lot of expression. And a special sound. The lowest notes on an accordion sound pretty phat.
I’m glad that Klazzmates were my introduction to this genre of music. I recommend listening to the MP3s available on their website.
November 22nd, 2007 at 3:16 am
Sounds like it was worth it despite the lack of polka!
From the Klazzmates website; “For this level of art it would be tactless to point to the perfect craftsmanship of all the musicians, to the joy and the need of playing you can feel in every note, to their incredible sensitivity to the tone colour, to their improvising abilities, to the skillful use of composing techniques and many forms they use in their music. “
Tactless it may be, but we’re going to do it anyway
January 10th, 2008 at 12:08 am
A Polish man got the shock of his life when he visited a brothel and spotted his wife among the establishment’s employees.
Polish tabloid Super Express said the woman had been making some extra money on the side while telling her husband she worked at a store in a nearby town.
“I was dumfounded. I thought I was dreaming,” the husband told the newspaper.
The couple, married for 14 years, are now divorcing, the newspaper reported.
January 14th, 2008 at 10:24 am
T.A.M. cheers big ears for the relevant comment. I’m dumfounded. I had a look at the super express website. It seems like the sort of thing they would publish.