Cameroon born artist Blick Bassy has a new album '1958', which is dedicated to his country’s anti-colonial struggles. His group play western instruments like cello, piano and trumpet mixed with guitar and banjo - but it’s his stunning voice that stays with you: you might recognise him from the ad for the iPhone6 which gave him international exposure as a talent to watch.
Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn see how far the humble banjo can go on ‘Echo in the Valley’. The husband and wife duo put some tough constraints on themselves: they won’t record anything they can’t replicate on stage AND nothing except banjo.
Auckland raised, Melbourne based troubadour Skyscraper Stan has a new album ‘Golden Boy’ and is doing a short tour here in August. Stan has been honing his skills through years of touring across Australia and has a reputation for giving his audience a very good time but also making listeners think about life in all its messiness.
London cello and violin duo Fran & Flora mix Jewish folk culture with electronica on their debut album Unfurl. Violinist Flora Curzon and cellist Francesca Ter-Bang met through playing in other people’s bands like Talvin Singh, Sam Lee & Friends on London’s lively music scene.
New York band the Klezmatics began in the 80’s; one of its leaders is trumpeter Frank London, one of the musicians who employed both Fran and Flora. The Klezmatics in their turn play with across genre even with names from the classical world like Itshak Perlman and Joshua Bell. We feature a Klezmatics original by Frank London and violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman playing klezmer.
New York band the Klezmatics Photo: the Klezmatics
English folk singer Sam Lee is just one of the artists Fran & Flora have worked with. He travels the UK learning songs from gypsy and traveller communities to bring to life backed by Jews harp, banjo and fiddle.
Sam Lee https://youtu.be/1it2M7-ME0Y
Music details:
BASSY: Woñi - Blick Bassy (NOFORMAT PROMO1958)
BASSY: Bés Na Wè - Blick Bassy (NOFORMAT PROMO1958)
FLECK: Take me to Harlan - Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn (ROUNDER PROMOECHO)
TRAD: Sally in the Garden / Big Country - Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn (ROUNDER PROMOECHO)
WOODHOUSE: Child - Skyscraper Stan (STAN WOODHOUSE)
WOODHOUSE: Flag of Progress - Skyscraper Stan (STAN WOODHOUSE)
TRAD: Romanian Fantasies - Fran & Flora (Fran & Flora Productions)
TRAD: L’Obreja - Fran & Flora (Fran & Flora Productions)
LONDON: Davenen - The Klezmatics (KLEZMATICS 738956)
STATMAN: Tati un Mama Tants - Itzhak Perlman (vln), Andy Statman Klezmer Orch (EMI CDC 5 55555)
TRAD: The Ballad Of George Collins - Sam Lee (NEST COLLECTIVE 200191)
TRAD: Goodbye My Darling - Sam Lee (NEST COLLECTIVE 200191)
SINGH: Light - Talvin Singh (ISLAND 524559)
