In 1981, a group of four young musicians joined in Brittany to form the group Kornog. lt featured Breton guitarist Soig Siberil and fiddler Christian Lemattre, along with the brilliant Scottish singer and bouzouki-player Jamie McMenemy, formerly of the Battlefield Band. Flautist Jean-Michel Veillon joined the band the following year. As one of the first Breton bands to tour and record in America, their success was unprecedented. During the 1980s, they recorded four acclaimed albums and toured throughout Europe and North America.
Giving a modern but still acoustic flair to age-old Breton dance tunes, Kornog created a revolutionary sound at once graceful and thrilling, ancient and contemporary. Their complex, textured arrangements made for an exciting new music, and their influence still resonates throughout the Celtic world and beyond. Nevertheless, their individual talents resulted in many invitations to collaborate with other Celtic musicians, and in 1987, they disbanded to pursue their solo projects.
Nearly two decades after their beginning, Kornog re-formed for a powerful new album Korong, named for the river running outside their studio in Brittany, as well as an extensive tour of the United States in the fall. With guitarist Nicolas Quemener, known from the Irish group Arcady, stepping in for Siberil (who had prior commitments) the band started a new phase in their career. Their signature sound continued to push the boundaries of Breton’s traditional music into new territory, confirming that they were still at the cutting edge of the region’s thriving music scene.
Discography:
Kornog 1 (Ar Folk, 1981) 33T
Première Live in Minneapolis (Green Linnet, 1983)
Ar Seizh Avel – On Seven Winds (Green Linnet, 1984)
Kornog IV Kanaouennou an Aod (Adipho, 1986)
Korong (Green Linnet, 2000)
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.
