Nord (JARO Medien, 2012)
Warsaw Village Band, one of the finest contemporary folk music bands from Eastern Europe, explores the ancient connections and musical interactions between Poland and other regions in their latest recording titled Nord.
Nord seeks the common elements between the cultures of the Slavs, the Scandinavians and the aboriginal peoples of the North. It’s the Warsaw Village Band’s tribute to the Viking warriors and the poets of the Saami and Inuit peoples. According to the information provided by the band, the Vikings invaded Polish lands in the Middle Age and had significant influence on the Polish state.
During the Polish–Swedish wars of the 17th century, along with other plunders, Sweden also imported the Polish dance Kujawiak, which to this day, is known in Sweden by the name Polska. Warsaw Village Band brings together all these various musical influences for the first time.
To carry out the project, the Polish musicians invited esteemed colleagues, such as the legendary Swedish band Hedningarna who appear on tracks 1 & 2. Nord also features Canadian singer-songwriter Sandy Scofield, who has Canadian aboriginal roots.
Nord has all the ingredients that make Warsaw Village Band such an attractive act: engaging songs, lively harmony vocals, and a brilliant mix of the traditional and modern.
The Warsaw Village Band lineup on this album includes Magdalena Sobczak-Kotnarowska on vocal, dulcimer, violin, baraban drum; Sylwia Swiatkowska on vocals, violin, Plock fiddle; Ewa Walecka on vocals, violin; Piotr Glinski on baraban drum, percussion; Pawel Mazurczak on double bass; and Maciej Szajkowski on frame drum, percussion.
Guests include Hedningarna: Anders Norudde on moraharpa, Swedish bagpipes; Hållbus Totte Mattsson on mandora, hurdy-gurdy; Samuel Andersson on moraharpa, octave violin; and Valter Kinbom on percussion.
Also featured: Sandy Scofield on vocals, shaman’s drums; Milosz Gawrylkiewicz on trumpet, flugelhorn; and Wladyslaw Pogoda and Tadeusz Zygadlo on vocals.
Nord is a superb album with well-crafted and high spirited pieces that explore the connections between the folk musics of Poland and its neighbors to the north.
Buy the Nord download version in North America
Buy the Nord CD or download version in Europe
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
