Polish Arts Festival
A night of music from Poland, deeply inspired by tradition,
bringing Polish music to the World
FESTIVAL TOUR 2014: 5th – 16th November
Three ensembles, one concert evening
The Polish Music Festival offers three unique ensembles; The Warsaw Village Band, Aldona & Band, and Ashia & The Bison Rouge. Each of these groups show in their own ways, the diversity of Polish musical culture. At this festival in particular, we wish to demonstrate, in cooperation with musicians from Spain, France and England, just how musically open to Europe Poland has become.
The name „Warsaw Villag Band“ is of course contradictory, since modern Warsaw is anything but a village. And yet, in an age of globalisation, the Warsaw Village Band’s mission is to counteract the alienation of Polish culture from its rural roots, and to revive these, while at the same time experimenting with them.
Founded in 1999, the group has already recorded 6 studio albums and will premiere their latest project in Fall 2014, a collaboration with Galician singer/instrumentalist Mercedes Peón.
The band has won worldwide acclaim, such as winning the “Polish Grammy” – the Fryderyk Award 4 times. They received the BBC World Music Award in 2004 and their album “Infinity” was dubbed “best Worldmusic album of 2009” by the US Online Magazine “Popmatters”. The Group toured in Taiwan, Australia and filled halls in the USA, playing all the big World Music Festivals.
Aldona Nowowiejska snatchess the listener away with her music, off into an unknown world, where only she holds the keys! She leads us into a region filled with dances and smiles, seeped in Slavic folk music and French Chansons. This passionate woman sings in her mother tongue so expressively, she makes us think we can actually understand Polish! Aldona is accompanied by Raphael Dumas and Michael Schick from France, as well as Stephen Harrison from England. Her self-branded “White Silence”, a mixture of Folk, World Music, Chansons and spontaneous extemporization turns her audience to willing captives.
Ashia envokes an entire world of sounds and moods with her cello: a song kaleidoscope all her own. She combines her Slavic roots, her Polish mother tongue, her childhood in the land of American Folk, her various Classical loves, together with Pop and Punk melodic elements. All these she embodies with a voice which can effortlessly switch from a throaty Alto to a heavenly Soprano. The insouciance of Cabaret, the sassiness of a diva, Slavic nostalgia and playful Chanson are all woven into Ashia’s finely-woven web, entrapping all who listen! In the USA Ashia ranks along with Joanna Newsom, Regina Spector, and Amanda Palmer, to the league of younger artists being talked about who combine Classical influences with Pop. As a soloist with Cirque du Soleil, Ashia Grzesik has already been drawing attention.
Rachelle Garniez (New York) – voice, guitar, claviola, piano, double basswith David Hofstra – bass
2014: 9th – 19th October
„A female Tom Waits – great entertainer!“ – New York Times
Rachelle Garniez is described as “another kind of Diva” and as a “certified free spirit” by Billboard Magazine. Also The New Yorker magazine describs her unique, lyrical and melodic story-song as: “Romantic, rhapsodic, and occasionally very funny”. Through the years, she’s played with a wide variety of bands: Rock, Blues, Country, Latin, Klezmer, Jazz and Tin-Pan-Alley classics. Her unparalleled feel for the song proceeds from all these influences and “wanders through the genres, leaving sweet ruins in her wake” (The New Yorker). For more info please click here…
Jasper van´t Hof & Tony Lakatos – Church organ and saxophone
2014: November
Jasper van’t Hof says:” ..the church organ is an instrument with incredible sound colors”. The master Jasper van’t Hof performs at the church organ together with Tony Lakatos (saxophone) innovating and fascinating non before heard sounds. The CD “Go with the wind” will be released in Autumn 2014! For more information please contact us.
Dawanggang (Beijing/China)
2014: October
DaWangGang blows up borders between Singer-Songwriter, Asian folklore, multi-ethnic Sound-Art, Chinese opera and contemporary rock. They create a unique union between tradition and present. Besides the core member Song Yuzhe (vocals, guitar, eight-stringed banjo and cittern), the current DaWangGangs are Hu Gejiletu (horse-head fiddle, throat singing, jaw harp), the ghijek-virtuoso Adil and the drummer Zhang Yang, who is experienced through many punk-, rock-, and jazz projects in Beijing. In spring 2013, DaWangGang’s debut album “Wild Tune Stray Rhythm” was released topping the 11th Place in the World Music Charts in its first week. For more info please click here…
Ashia & The Bison Rouge (Poland/USA) – voice and cello
with Olga Kwiatek – Violine
2014: Autumn – from November
“her voice vacillates between the throaty alto of Amanda Palmer and the ethereal soprano of Maria Callas” – Portland News
Ashia’s ideas and voice, ethereal and demanding at once, are pop/rock, yet the sounds are at times classical and folk, being on the cello. In her net, she catches every listener with her mix of cabaret-like sassiness, diva lyricism, Slavic nostalgia and playful chanson. In the US, Ashia belongs to the league of closely-watched younger talents like Joanna Newsom, Regina Spector and Amanda Palmer, who are mentioned for their mix elements of Classical and Pop. Ashia has also performed with Cirque du Soleil. For more info please click here…
Oquestrada (Portugal)
2014: November
After the big success of the first album “Tasca Beat“, OqueStrada are back with their second album, which will appear in the summer of 2014! OqueStrada renews and changes the traditions of Portuguese music.
Their music is a new refreshing blend of cheerfulness, longing, humor and daydreaming. Band’s style reflects the music of a harbor where many languages are heard and blend with the dream of departing, only to later return. The ingredients are varied; In addition to fado, chanson, tango, Cape Verdean morna and Funaná also musette, pop, hip hop or Balkan beats can be heard. For more information please click here here…
The Bulgarien Voices ANGELITE
– The world famous female choir from Sofia –
2014: Christmas Concert 12th – 22th December
Also this year, the world-famous Choir from Sofia will perform in December a special Christmas program on an European tour. Their voices are fascinating, their style of singing and ornamentation is archaic, distinctive and rooted in centuries of local tradition. The Bulgarian Voices Angelite stands for the worldwide spread of the famous Bulgarian women choir singing since 25 years. The choir is among the most renowned ensembles in the categories of Balkan and Bulgarian folk music. For more information please click here…
Jasper van t Hofs “Pili Pili“ (Europa/Africa) – a fascinating comeback “Ukuba Noma Unkungabi”
2015: 10th – 20th January
With the new Pili Pili lineup now, Jasper van’t Hof has created a sound structure dominated by acoustic piano. The master piano, Jasper van’t Hof’s and the voice of the South African singer Tuto Puoane, accompanied of kora, percussion, bass, saxophone and with new elements of violin and cello are creating the perfect chamber music. Jasper van’t Hof has caught up Africa! For more information please click here…
American Songbirds Festival (USA) 2. Edition – 4 Concerts in 1 Night!
2015: 6th – 28th March
A singer-songwriters festival with four amazing singers!
Duo to the large demand in 2014, we continue our American Songbirds Festival with a second edition in 2015, bringin new talented american female singer-songwriters in Europe. For more information please click here…
Hazmat Modine (New York/USA) – Pan American Roots Music, Jazz, Blues
– The sensation from New York!
2015: 22th May – 13th June 2015
Their 3rd Studio CD with a new cast brings the “American Roots Band” back to Europe! This is the 14th Tour since 2007! For more information please click here…
Available on request throughout the year
Rachelle Garniez (New York) – „A female Tom Waits – great entertainer!“ – New York Times
DaWangGang (Beijing/China) – Chinese art-rock with trad. Elements – a great chinese act!
Warsaw Village Band (Poland) & Merceds Peón (Spain) – “This is the sound of globalisation!” – The New York Times
Huun-Huur-Tu (Tuva) – They are considered the best laryngeal and overtone singers in the world!
Dona Rosa & Ensemble (Portugal) – “A touching, timeless voice” – Charlie Gillett. – Fado and traditional songs from Lisbon – On request also “Concerts in the Dark“! The blind fado singer will perform in a quartet.
Aldona & Band (France/UK/ Poland) – “Sung poetry, a mix of folk-world music and French chanson”
The Bulgarien Voices ANGELITE, Moscow Art Trio & Huun-Huur-Tu (Bulgaria, Russia, Tuva)
The Bulgarian Voices, the Tuvinian throat singing and the fascinating jazz-folk Trio are an overwhelming mix! Mountain Tale – a World Music Symphony with 29 Musicians.
Ensemble SARBAND – “An Arabian Passion” – (Beirut, Baghdad, Germany). An Arab-European cast of musicians and masters of European jazz transforms sound icons of classical music into a present-day statement on humanity. Adapted from Bach’s Passions, the spirit of Baroque is intertwined and reinterpreted with the living musical traditions of the Middle East together with the improvisations of Jazz.
All artists are also available for festivals on request 2014 – 2015
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