Issue 17 12/2000

The FolkWorld Top Ten 2000

FolkWorld's Top Tens are designed to help the reader to discover some of the most outstanding new bands of the year. They usually feature more the unknown bands and musicians or the hidden gems of the genre than the big stars.
Featuring a CD Top Ten and a Live Top Ten, compiled by FolkWorld's editors.

Cast your vote - the FolkWorld 2000 Readers' Poll and Competition
FolkWorld wants to find out what the Reader's highlights were; please cast your vote of the best three CDs of 2000, and have the chance to win one of two packs of four CDS!

The FolkWorld CD Top Ten 2000

A selection of the personal highlights of 2000. Having been a difficult choice, here are the editor's three best CDs and their seven, also highly recommended, follow-ups. In our opinion, these albums are all a 'must' for collectors of European Music CDs.

Jaune Toujours - Brusk

The best of 2000: Jaune Toujous "Brusk"
New innovative European folk sounds that are breaking borders. Jaune Toujours play unusual and new music that may not easily be pigeonholed. This Flemish (Belgian) band has lots of wild musical power. Playing mainly self-composed music, they combine accordeon with percussion and a brass section. there are jazz influences, but also you can find mussette, rock and of course folk. The front instrument - either accordion or a brass instrument - is very dominantly played and gives the music a great drive. The songs - mostly in Flemish with some French choruses plus one song in French language - are influenced in style by ballads, rock hymns, chansons and more.
This is up to date music - fresh with much drive and unique. A "must" for anyone who loves the more unusual acts of the New European Folk scene.
Read the full FolkWorld CD review.
The second best of 2000: Mercedes Peon "Isué"
The debut CD of the young Galician singer / gaitero / traditional percussionist Mercedes Peón. It is a very special one! On this album the traditions are not presented in a pure manner, she combines them with modern sounds and with influences from different regions - especially from the south, and then especially from Northern Africa.
The album is a genius melange somewhere between traditional and modern Galician music with lots of influences. Centerpiece is the powerful voice of Mercedes. The songs and melodies are partly traditional, partly written by Mercedes - many of them are earwigs, even if you do not understand a word. Mercedes has gathered for this album an excellent backing band. An absolute stunning debut CD, leaving you waiting for more....
Read the full FolkWorld CD Review.
The third best of 2000: Spaccanapoli "Lost Souls (Aneme Perze)"
Another real treat. Spaccanapoli from Naples play music full of passion and southern temper and vibrant energy, full of innovative arrangements, of moving songs, of intriguing melodies. The band features two passionate, yet contrasting singers.
Although the music reflects the melting pot of Mediterranean cultures that Naples offers, Spaccanapoli's music sounds very distinctive and characteristic. Typical of Spaccanapoli is the innovative percussion, that is obviously steeped in the traditions, yet having a very fresh and modern appeal. And then the unusual arrangements; often a fiddle in the center of instruments, but then at times also a flute or a clarinet. One of the most attractive and exciting albums I have heard this year.
Read the full FolkWorld CD review.
Kaikai "Das Kalte Herz"
The German band Kaikai presenting an exciting instrumental album as an interpretation of a German fairy tale from the Blackforest.
Read the full FolkWorld CD review.
Malinky "Last Leaves"
Young Scottish folk & trad band focussing on songs. Excellent music and songwriting, perfectly presented.
Read the full FolkWorld CD review, and the FolkWorld interview with Malinky.
Oskorri "Ura"
The old established folk band from the Basque country coming up with an innovative album with lots of highest profile folk guests.
Read the full FolkWorld CD review.
Helmut Debus "Twuschen Ankamen un Afscheed"
A lyrical singer/songwriter from Northern Germany, singing in Platt dialect, and carrying a lot of melancholic passion in his songs.
Read the full FolkWorld CD review.
Lester Simpson "One"
Songwriting deeply rooted in English traditions, great musicians, a sensitive singer. Quite a perfect album really; highly recommended.
Read the full FolkWorld CD review.
Gout d'hier "Aujourd'hui"
Melodies from Central Europe, mainly France, presented by a high profile German-Belgian four piece band.
Read the full FolkWorld CD review (German only).
ranarim "till ljusan dag"
New and beautiful Swedish Folk Music, featuring two female singers plus two guys playing nyckelharpa and guitar/mandola.
CD Review in FolkWorld's next issue.

The FolkWorld Live Act Top Ten 2000
Flashback on the most memorable concerts of 2000. These acts are great craic and high quality entertainment.

The best of 2000: Berrogüetto seen at Celtic Connections 2000
A memorable performance of what is today possibly Galicia's finest live band: Berrogüetto. Their appearances carry a lot of spirit and are absolutely stunning.
The aim of Berrogüetto is to carry the old traditional music of Galicia into our times, and the musicians show themselves very open in bringing new elements into the music. Berrogüetto use an exciting range of traditional Galician instruments. Of course there is the national instrument of Galicia, the Gaita. Then there is also a hurdy gurdy, the tambourine and the fiddle These old instruments are joined with modern ones, like guitar or bouzouki or most of the percussion.
Not only in Celtic Connections, but also at the Tønder Festival they were one of the definite highlights. One of the greatest live bands of Europeans New Folk scene.
Read the interview with Berrogüetto.
The second best of 2000: Kapela Ze Wsi Warszawa seen at the Tanz & Folk Fest Rudolstadt 2000
Another of FolkWorld's newly discovered music pearl this year was the Polish band 'Kapela ze wsi Warzsawa' (= 'band from the village of Warsaw'). Poland has currently a very vibrant folk music scene, and Kapela ze wsi Warzsawa is one of the magnificent bands that this country has produced. This young band (four girls and two boys) combines the powerful voices and the string instruments (like fiddle, the Polish "female dog fiddle" or cello) of the girls with percussion in the form of traditional hand drums of the boys. The Kapela ze wsi Warzsawa interpretes ancient melodies and songs on acoustic instruments in a very modern and up to date sounding way. Great stuff.
Read the FolkWorld Rudolstadt Review and the Interview with the band.
The third best of 2000: Michael McGoldrick's Experience seen at Celtic Connections 2000
A real experience is this venture of Michael McGoldrick, one of the shooting stars of the Irish scene. As the German live review in FolkWorld says; "Music like "Michael McGoldrick's Experience" has not been heard since the Moving Hearts. The band features the crème of the scene: Manus Lunny, Donald Shaw, Ed Boyd, John Joe Kelly, Dezi Donnelly, Alan Kelly etc. For the concert in the fruitmarket, Michael had a good programme, starting with a traditional backing of only guitar and bodhran, then with the time, more and more musicians come onto stage and the music gets more and more progressive without losing its strong traditional roots. Each additional music adds his own bit to the soundscape. Both music and production wise Michael has created a total art work.
Read the FolkWorld Celtic Connections Review (in German) and the CD review of Mike McGoldrick.
Haugaard & Høirup at the TFF Rudolstadt 2000
Magic fiddle and guitar/singing duo from Denmark, with lovely performance.
Read the FolkWorld Rudolstadt Review and the Interview with the duo.
BEV (BonificaEmilianaVeneta) at the TFF Rudolstadt 2000
New Italian Folk of this exciting young band.
Read the FolkWorld Rudolstadt Review and the Interview with the band.
BUB at 1st International Folk Festival Tilburg, Holland
Great fresh instrumental folk music from Flanders, with a lot of groove.
Read the FolkWorld Review of the Tilburg Festival.
Ambrozijn at 1st FolkWoods Festival Eindhoven and 1st International Folk Festival Tilburg, both Holland.
Innovative Music from Flanders, with unusual arrangements of Flemish and French songs.
Read the FolkWorld Review of the Tilburg Festival, of FolkWoods Festival, and the interview with Ambrozijn.
Dona Rosa in the Börse in Wuppertal, Germany.
Songs from the streets of Lisboa, presented by the blind street singer Dona Rosa.
Read the FolkWorld CD Review.
Plommon in the meeting room at Landesstelle Unna Massen, Germany.
The five Swedish girls have a very fresh and friendly performance, playing the Swedish Spelmans-music by heart. Their performance has improved considerably during the last years, making them now to a real audiences' favourite. At this very concert, the girls could impress the large percentage of Russians in the audience with their language skills...
Read the interview with Plommon in FolkWorld issue 1.
Calico in the big hall at Landesstelle Unna Massen, Germany.
Young fresh Irish band with two fiddles, uillean pipes, voice and string instruments.
Read the FolkWorld CD review.

The 2000 FolkWorld Competition
What were your favourite three Folk CDs published in 2000?
You can win one of two packs of 4 CDs.

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