Music: Ensemble Shavnabada, Georgian And Abkhazian Folk Songs Vol. 4, 2016

By |June 28th, 2018|Country: , |

G IS FOR GEORGIA and A IS FOR ABKHAZIA

I have no idea where to get the other volumes but that’s ok I guess because this one is so good? Shavnabada is a folk ensemble that tours the world to showcase the best examples of Georgian folk traditions, including their famous polyphonic singing. In this particular record they also do a share of Abkhazian songs. I am a big fan of “Carmina Burana”, the songs of rowdy medieval monks, as performed by Clemencic Consort, and some of the songs on this album remind me of it a lot. My favorite is “Vakhtanguri”, which is, apparently, a prominent toasting song—and if you know anything about Georgia, feasts and toasting people with wine are the single most important part of their heritage. I am absolutely mesmerized by the guy who makes the rooster sounds in the back. I love a weird sound, and I love improbable styles of singing, throat, vibrato, anything. I watched a bunch of videos, including one of Shavnabada singing “Vakhtanguri” in London, to try and figure out how it works. I still have no idea. Some sort of throat magic.

Apparently, this is the Georgian variation of yodelling that’s called krimanchuli. I wish I could say that since discovering what it’s called I’ve been watching videos nonstop but there is also a Georgian pop song from the 60s called “Krimanchuli” and it’s hard to weed it out and find the yodeling.

Split the Atom by Noisia
Released in 2010 by Vision Recordings

LISTEN TO ENSEMBLE SHAVNABADA: VAKHTANGURI

MORE FROM EUROPE