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| Between Two Festivals 24.05.1999 Týden p. 48 Culture The sounds of the first international festival of Romany culture Khamoro 99 have hardly died away, and now the second Respect Festival of ethnic music awaits Prague in June. Besides a dance performance by Kayo Mikami & Torifune Butoh-Sha, the festival will feature musical ensembles like Duo Slepčík, Čilágos and Álom (Palace Akropolis, June 18th), Ensemble Tartit from Mali, Dundzingarav from Mongolia, Poland’s Kroke and the Algerian-French artist Reda Doumaz (outdoor terrace at Prague Castle’s Riding School, June 19th). On the last day of the festival (June 20th), Ĺudová hudba Juliusa Šuko Bartoša (Slovakia), Musafir (India), Fanfare Ciocarlia (Romania), Kék Láng (Hungary) and the Czech group Álom will perform (also on the terrace at Prague Castle’s Riding School). Álom "Romanies are very patriotic about the little that has remained of their culture. I don’t share the majority view that non-Romanies can’t play Romany music well. Moreover, who today is going to judge what music is truly and exclusively Romany, when so many outside influences are reflected in it? After all, somebody from the east will play a little differently than me, because I come from western Slovakia," says Vojtěch Lavička, a member of multi-faceted (and multi-ethnic) Álom. While the group is based in large part around the old Romany repertoire and traditional line-up, and draws on harmonies, rhythms and musical ornaments handed down over the generations, it spices up this "museum style" with its own arrangements or Romanian folk music. "When Álom got together more than a year ago, we mainly wanted to get people dancing at parties and in pubs," adds Vojtěch Lavička. "If we can do that even when playing for Romany old-timers, then we take it as high praise, and proof that we definitely don’t need to worry about pre-conceived ideas." Álom (Simona Šenkiová - voice, Vojtěch Lavička - violin, Václav Flegl - viola, Tomáš Kacler - cimbalom, Marek Prchal - bass), who are getting ready for various club dates as well as recording an album, will appear at the Respect Festival 99. Duo Slepčík "Sometimes I start crying when I listen to music by Black people, or even something Italian. Yet I don’t understand the words at all, it’s only the music that gives me some kind of sad image. And then once when we played in a church it was the Japanese tourists who cried. I realized that music can say something just by itself," says Magda Slepčíková, who started singing relatively late, thanks only to a "tough teacher" - her husband Jan. (Jan Slepčík has written music for film and the theater, working together with many musicians, directors and actors.) But she already had some very bitter experiences in life behind her. Maybe this is why the Slepčíks’ songs and music are so raw and captivating. Whether it’s traditional Romany songs they’re singing (with Jan on the guitar) or Jan’s own compositions, the words speak of joy, sadness, sorrow, burials and misfortunes. "Basically we sing about everything that can happen in life, especially when we’re sad," say Magda and Jan. Their story has been filmed several times by Czech Television, and their Romany blues has already met with success in France, Austria and Switzerland, among other places. Duo Slepčík will open the musical program at this year’s Respect Festival 99. Prague Castle is also a Music Center (rad) 01.04.1999 Mladá fronta DNES p. 04 Culture in Prague Musical life at Prague Castle continues in June with the Respect '99 Festival of ethnic music, which follows up on similar projects in recent years, such as the cycle of Plečnik-related concerts, the Emperor Rudolph summer of music and the Festival of Music with Unusual Lengths. "This project always has an exceptional character, since we try to put it in a wider cultural frame of reference, primarily by tying it in with the season’s main exhibition project," Pechanec relates. Respect Festival of Ethnic Music to Take Place in Prague Once Again Filip Horáček 20.04.1999 Lidové noviny p. 16 Culture Elemental music and European cultural awareness – combining these two is, according to the organizers of the Respect `99 Festival, the most effective way of preventing racial turmoil and teaching people tolerance. They have invited a number of domestic and foreign Romany and ethnic music groups to perform in Prague between June 17th and 20th. PRAGUE – Following the success of last year’s Respect Festival, which was dedicated to Romany music and featured performances by Romania’s Taraf de Haidouks, the Macedonian brass band Kocani Orkestar, who play a style of music familiar from Kusturica’s film Underground, Spanish flamenco as performed by Ana La China and her trio of musicians, or Czech Romany star Věra Bílá with the group Kale, the organizers have announced a second festival set to take place this year. Though last year’s focus on Romany music has widened to include ethnic music groups from all over the world, there will still be two days devoted to Romany ensembles. Nomadic Tuaregs and Mongolian Herders Starting off the festival’s plentiful program on Thursday, June 17th will be Kayo Mikami & Torifune Butol-Sha, performing traditional Japanese butoh dancing in the Spanish Hall of Prague Castle. Friday evening will be set aside for authentic Czech Romany music. Duo Slepčík from Strupčice near Brno and the groups Čilágos (Náchod) and Álom (Prague) will perform at Palace Akropolis. On the third day of the festival, dedicated to ethnic music from around the world, traditional music of the Tuareg nomads by Ensemble Tartit from Mali, Mongolian songs by the group Dundzingarav, Jewish klezmer by Poland’s celebrated Kroke, who have performed all over Europe, sharing festival stages with the likes of Natacha Atlas, Van Morrison or The Klezmatics, and "chaabi" songs, rooted in the Arabo-Andalusian tradition, by Reda Doumaz from Algeria will all be heard. The final day will once again feature Romany music, this time played mainly by foreign musicians. Following their success at last year’s festival, L_udová hudba Juliusa Šuko Bartoša, the oldest Romany band in Slovakia, will appear in Prague again. The Edirne Ceribasi Band will travel from Turkey to present the local style of Romany music there, with its Bulgarian and Greek influences. This year, Romany brass band music from the Balkans will be represented by Romania’s Fanfare Ciocarlia. Their music mixes Romanian, Romany and Turkish influences, even elements of klezmer. They are known as the fastest and craziest band in this genre. The fourteen-member group Kék Láng from the Hungarian village of Nyirvasvari was first seen by Czech audiences in French director Tony Gatlif’s film Latcho Drom, shown as part of last year’s festival. Prague’s Álom will also appear again on Sunday. As part of the festival, which has been organized by the weekly newspaper Respekt, the Rachot concert agency and Prague Castle Administration in cooperation with the City of Prague, there will also be an exhibition of black and white photographs from the Czech Television documentary series Romanies and Music and Black and White in Color, on view at Palace Akropolis. IN SHORT 21.04.1999 Kutnohorské noviny p. 05 The second annual international Respect Festival will take place from June 17th to 20th, and will feature ethnic music, including performances of unfalsified Romany music. Festival concerts will take place at the Spanish Hall and the terrace of the Riding School at Prague Castle, as well as Palace Akropolis. Respect Festival to Offer Ethnic and Romany Music (ČTK) 22.04.1999 Slovo p. 07 Culture Prague - The second annual international Respect Festival will take place from June 17th to 20th, and will feature ethnic music, including performances of unfalsified Romany music. Festival concerts will take place at the Spanish Hall and the terrace of the Riding School at Prague Castle, as well as Palace Akropolis. "In future years the festival will be made up of music from all over the world, although Romany groups, whom last year’s first-ever festival was dedicated to, will continue to appear," says Borek Holeček from the Rachot concert agency. The program for June 18th is the result of efforts to survey and map the field of authentic Romany music in the Czech Republic, just as Romanies play it at home. Also interesting should be the performance by Japanese dancer Kayo Mikami, a group of Tuareg singers from Mali, music of the Mongolian nomads and the Polish trio Kroke. This year’s Respect Festival is also loosely tied in with the first annual One World Film Festival, organized by Czech Television’s People in Need Foundation. The festival, which will take place between May 26th and June 11th, is intended to confront documentary and feature films on the theme of human rights and human rights violations. Respect Festival to Offer Ethnic and Romany Music mcp 22.04.1999 Boleslavský deník p. 04 SECOND YEAR / Hear music as played in its native environment PRAHA - The second annual international Respect Festival will take place from June 17th to 20th, and will feature ethnic music, including performances of unfalsified Romany music. Festival concerts will take place at the Spanish Hall and the terrace of the Riding School at Prague Castle, as well as Palace Akropolis. "In future years the festival will be made up of music from all over the world, although Romany groups, whom last year’s first-ever festival was dedicated to, will continue to appear," says Borek Holeček from the Rachot concert agency. The program for June 18th is the result of efforts to survey and map the field of authentic Romany music in the Czech Republic. It will be heard just as Romanies play it at home, with no outside musical influences. According to Holeček, the performances by Japanese dancer Kayo Mikami, the groups of Tuareg singers from Mali and nomads from Mongolia and the Polish trio Kroke should also be interesting. "We believe that bringing together elemental music and European cultural awareness is one of the most effective ways of preventing racial turmoil and teaching people tolerance," say the festival’s organizers. Respect 99 to Offer Ethnic and Romany Music in June (ČTK, pb) 27.04.1999 Haló noviny p. 08 Culture Prague - The second annual international Respect Festival will take place from June 17th to 20th, and will feature ethnic music, including performances of unfalsified Romany music. Festival concerts will take place at the Spanish Hall and the terrace of the Riding School at Prague Castle, as well as Palace Akropolis. "In future years the festival will be made up of music from all over the world, although Romany groups, whom last year’s first-ever festival was dedicated to, will continue to appear," says Borek Holeček from the Rachot concert agency. The program for June 18th is the result of efforts to survey and map the field of authentic Romany music in the Czech Republic, just as Romanies play it at home. Also interesting should be the performance by Japanese dancer Kayo Mikami, a group of Tuareg singers from Mali, music of the Mongolian nomads and the Polish trio Kroke. This year’s Respect Festival is also loosely tied in with the first annual One World Film Festival, organized by Czech Television’s People in Need Foundation. The festival, which will take place between May 26th and June 11th, is intended to confront documentary and feature films on the theme of human rights and human rights violations. Romanies to Sing at Prague Castle top 17.05.1999 Ústecký deník p. 09 ÚSTÍ N. L. – A day dedicated to Czech Romany music, featuring groups with an original Romany repertoire like Duo Slepčík from Strupčice, Náchod’s Čilágos and the Prague group Álom, and organized in cooperation with Zbyněk Andrš of the Center for Romany Studies at J. E. Purkyně University, will be part of the Respect Festival of ethnic and world music. The four-day festival, which will take place in Prague in the middle of June, is devoted in large part to Romany music, culture and exhibitions. This international event, which will also feature groups like Musafir from India and Dundzingarav from Mongolia, has been organized by the weekly newspaper Respekt and the Rachot concert agency, with help from a number of sponsors. The organizers have again chosen Prague Castle and Palace Akropolis as the locations for the event. This Year’s Respect to Cover More Parts of the World (iha) 02.06.1999 Mladá fronta DNES p. 20 Culture Prague – While the West had its Sex Pistols, the Balkans have the brass band Fanfare Ciocarlia. With some slight exaggeration, this is how music commentator Petr Dorůžka, who is helping to promote the upcoming Respect Festival 99 of ethnic music in Prague, characterizes the bizarre, incredibly fast riffs played by this group from eastern Romania. It is this blaring "salvo" which will alert television viewers during coming weeks that the Respect Festival will be happening for the second time from June 17th to 20th. The weekly newspaper Respekt, the Rachot concert agency and Prague Castle Administration have come together to organize the festival, whose two main concerts will be held on the terrace of the castle’s Riding School. Fanfare Ciocarlia will appear at the final concert, dedicated to Romany music, together with one of last year’s acts, Ľudová hudba Juliusa Šuko Bartoša from Slovakia, as well as the ensemble Musafir, which plays music from the Romanies’ original homeland – Rajasthan in India, the Hungarian group Kék Láng, whose members are part of the once-nomadic Olah clan, and the Prague cimbalom band Álom. In this way the festival has followed up on its debut year, which was made up entirely of Romany music. This year, however, the organizers have expanded the festival program to include not only more musicians but also the traditional music of different ethnic groups as well. Thus Respect will be presenting the Polish klezmer trio Kroke, the Mongolian group Dundzingarav, Algerian musician Reda Doumaz, Ensemble Tartit, made up of Tuaregs from Mali, and the Japanese dancer Kayo Mikami. This year’s festival will also make room for the first time for Czech Romany music "in the raw": the husband-and-wife Duo Slepčík from Strupčice and the Náchod-based group Čilágos. Romany, African and Indian Music to be Heard at this Year’s Respect Festival Filip Horáček 04.06.1999 Lidové noviny p. 20 Culture Nomadic Tuaregs, Indian fakirs, snake-charmers, Jewish klezmer music, wild Romany brass music from the Balkans, Mongolian herders and local Romany folk music – all this can be seen and heard at Respect Festival 99, which will take place in Prague from June 17th to 20th. PRAGUE - Ethnic and folk music ensembles from various parts of the world will perform for Czech audiences in the middle of June. Last year, the Respect Festival was devoted to music by Romanies. Though their music will be heard this year, too, the range of sounds at the second festival will be wider. Japanese Butoh Dance The festival begins on Thursday June 17th in the Spanish Hall of Prague Castle, where Kayo Mikami, a master of butoh dance, and the ensemble Torifune Butoh-Sha from Japan will perform. The second evening will be devoted to Czech Romany music. Duo Slepčík and the groups Čilagos and Álom will appear in Žižkov’s Palace Akropolis. The husband-and-wife duo of Jan and Magda Slepčík are representatives of authentic Romany music who have performed not only in this country but also in France and the USA. The Náchod-based group Čilagos was discovered by the festival organizers. It is made up of 15 to 30 members, and presents Romany folk music in all its unrestrained exuberance. Although only one of the members of the cimbalom band Álom is a Romany – Vojta Lavička, also violinist with the band Deep Sweden – the group’s aim is to give the most authentic performances of Romany music possible. Throughout Saturday evening music from all corners of the world will be heard on the terrace of the Riding School at Prague Castle. African culture will be represented by Ensemble Tartit from Mali, whose members belong to the nomadic Tuareg people. Mongolian musicians living in the Czech Republic make up the group Dundzingarav, which has already performed in China, India, Germany, the USA and France. Algerian musician Reda Doumaz and his group will present the style of song known as chaabi. The Polish trio Kroke has performed its own brand of Jewish klezmer music at many festivals all across Europe, sharing the stage with the likes of Natacha Atlas, The Klezmatics or Van Morrison. The Fastest of Them All The final day of the festival, also on the terrace of the Riding School, will again belong to Romany music, this time performed by musicians from abroad. The Slovak band Ĺudová hudba Juliusa Šuko Bartoša already enjoyed success at last year’s festival. The group Kék Láng will be representing Hungary and the music of the nomadic Olahs. Musafir, one of the leading lights of the world music scene, will travel to Prague from the original homeland of the Romany people, Rajasthan in India. Their performances generally include snake-charmers, magicians, puppeteers, troubadours and fakirs. "We’re the fastest of them all" – this is what Ivancea, leader of Romania’s Fanfare Ciocarlia, says about his band. The group is one of many Romany brass bands found throughout the Balkans, just like the popular Kocani Orkestar. While the latter is considered the loudest and tightest band of its kind, Fanfare Ciocarlia has a reputation as the fastest and wildest. An exhibition of black and white photographs from the Czech Television documentaries Romanies and Music and Black and White in Color, on view at Palace Akropolis, is also part of the festival. |
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