After years of trying to get into WOMEX showcase festival we proudly present the first act from Lithuania - Merope.
Merope take traditional Lithuanian melodies and weave them into their original compositions, creating shifting textures through improvisational interplay, inspired by the natural world and dreams.
The nucleus of the band is a trio comprising Indrė Jurgelevičiūtė, from Lithuania, playing the box zither known as kanklės, Jean Christophe Bonnafous from France on the Indian bansuri bamboo flute and Belgian guitarist and sound manipulator, Bert Cools. They met when studying at the Rotterdam Conservatory, beginning a journey that has taken them around the world, playing and learning through Europe and India, to China and Mexico, assimilating and incorporating new musical encounters into their singular sound.
Their third album, Naktės, channelling the moods of the night and recorded in small rooms and open spaces, picked up Best World Music prize at this year’s Belgian Klara Awards. "Naktes is a dream from which you do not want to wake up." Unworldly world music.
‘This album is as delicate as it is deep; something very special indeed.' Songlines, UK
‘Naktės is a magnificent album, without fuss, without bowing to commerce. A very honest, warm and most of all heartwarming registration of what the trio can bring about. Consciousness-expanding music that has a lot from folk, but also with unworldly jazz and especially with adventure and freedom.’ Written in Music, Belgium
'Mystery and folk flow into the ocean of modern times – filled with ambient music, spiritualized jazz, improvisation or broadly defined electronics.' Nowamuzyka, Poland
‘The beauty that Naktės emanates has made us quiet. Merope proves that international cooperation works in times of bitterness and intolerance. They make innovative and bold folk.’ Luminous Dash, Belgium
‘A minimalistic folk variation reminiscent of some Björk’s compositions; sounds partly like from another world, yet does not lose track of the Lithuanian folk melodies. Music for quiet hours.' Global Music Magazine, Germany
OCT 26 Saturday 23:15
NORTHERN CONNECTIONS
Small Auditorium, Tampere Hall
MEROPE
Indrė Jurgelevičiūtė - vocals, kanklės (Baltic psaltery)
Bert Cools - guitar, electronics
Jean Christophe Bonnafous - bansuri
article posted by:Radvilė Buivydienė, Music Lithuania