Zedashe
Our Earth and Water (Living Roots Music, 2015)
The nation of Georgia has an ancient polyphonic vocal tradition that is mesmerizing and hauntingly beautiful. Unfortunately, we don’t have access to most Georgian releases so it’s a delight to get the opportunity to listen to Zedashe, a very fine ensemble that is currently touring North America. Their new album Our Earth and Water was recorded live at the Pheasant’s Tears winery in Sighnaghi, eastern Georgia.
The name of the group, zedashe, means earthenware jars that contain wine used to celebrate ancestors. The ensemble has collected a wide variety of traditional songs from various parts of Georgia. These include songs about love, work, weddings, harvests, and war, along with dances, lullabies and liturgical chants.
“We started this huge thing by bringing liturgical music back into the church,” describes Zedashe founder and vocalist Ketevan Mindorashvili, “and we were very proud, and then we got into folk music. It’s so similar. Everyone wants to prove that one came first, but no one really knows. It’s the same root and harmony.”
Mindorashvili founded Zedashe in Sighnagi during the mid-1990s. She and her colleagues started exploring music that had been forgotten during Georgia’s Communist regime. Zedashe shifted from arranging well-known songs to uncovering rare pieces in ancient manuscripts, archives, during long chats with elders whose deep memories sometimes contain long-forgotten melodies and lyrics.
Zedashe lineup: Ketevan Mindorashvili on vocals, panduri (3-string fretted lute from eastern Georgia) and chonguri (4-string fretless lute from western Georgia); Tamila Sulkhanishvili on vocalds and garmoni (accordion from Tusheti); Vano Chincharauli on doli (horizontal hand drum); Irakli Kanchurishvili on vocals and diplipito (double headed clay drum); Aleko Matiashvili on vocals, chiboni (goatskin bagpipe from Achara) and chonguri; Valiko Janiashvili on vocals, panduri and garmoni; and Guliko-Ana Chabashvili on vocals and panduri.
Zedashe has been touring the United States since September 18. Some of the remaining dates include:
09/30/2015: First Church in Cambridge, Cambridge, Massachusetts
10/01/2015: DROM, New York City, New York
10/03/2015: Barbes, Brooklyn, New York
10/04/2015: The Kennedy Center, Washington, DC
10/09/2015: Richmond Folk Festival, Richmond, Virginia
The recording is available at zedashe.bandcamp.com/album/our-earth-and-water
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.
