WOMEX 11 Guide

© Kristoffer Hjul © Rune Backs© Lena A. Pedersen© Rickard ErikssonSpecial Focus: Nordic ClubS h o w c a s e sBasco (Sweden/Denmark)Contact: Basco/Big BascoLabel: Go’ Danish FolkmusicSaturday 23:00 Nordic Club (Studio 4) Thursday 23:00 Nordic Club (Studio 4)The arrival of Basco’s opulent, organic mix ofScandinavian, English, Irish, Scottish and North Americanelements, distilled into the eclectic original compositionsthat comprised the 2008 debut album, The Crow inthe Walnut Tree, stirred up significant waves on theDanish folk music scene. Then, they were a quartet,originally formed when they were attending the CarlNielsen Academy of music in Odense. Soon they wererapidly livening up the clubs with their fiddle-scraping,accordion-squeezing, trombone-sliding, cittern-pickingvirtuosity, delivered with an engaging sense of humour.Now comes Big Basco, with the addition of threeaccomplished horn players adding fresh new tonalcolours to the big picture, a broad, bright canvas of reels,polkas, Scandinavian ballads, Irish airs and folk melodieswhose traces span continents.www.bascoband.com› CD WOMEXIMIZER 11Hal Parfitt Murray vocals, violin, viola | Ale Carr citternAndreas Tophøj Rasmussen violin, violaAnders Ringgaard Andersen accordion, tromboneJonatan Ahlbom heliconUlrik Kofoed hunting hornMads LA Cour Langelund Lützen flugelhornDánjal (Faroe Islands/Finland/Sweden/Denmark)Contact: DánjalLabel: Peregrina MusicAfter sailing the seven seas and exploring the distantcorners of the world, the Faroese singer and performerDánjal has now hand-picked a group of manicallyaccomplished musicians from the dark corners ofScandinavia and is ready to rock, soothe, inspire andincite you. Wailing clarinets and galloping mandolinsaccompany the bard at the piano as he sets hisprovocative and touching stories, commentaries andobservations to a passing parade of references fromtango to klezmer, jazz to cabaret, Balkan brass to Faroesefolk, all coerced into a soundtrack for an imaginaryBrecht/Weill musical directed by Quentin Tarantino.His Danish Music Award-nominated album, The Palace,perfectly encapsulates the wide sweep of his writing,being calm, aggressive and touching and proving thatlove is more brown than pink.www.danjal.netDanjal Neystabø lead vocals, pianoKim Nyberg mandolinSidse Holte Østergaard backing vocalsAnnika Jessen clarinetErik Olevik bassStephan Sieben guitarUlrik Brohuus drumsFarmers Market (Norway)Contact: Musikkprofil Booking & ManagementLabel: Division RecordsSaturday 00:30 Nordic Club (Studio 4)Imagine a hot Bulgarian band referencing (sometimesall in the space of one piece) a smorgasbord of globalmusic styles such as bluegrass, bhangra, surf guitar, filmsoundtracks and heavy metal, playfully and expertlyincorporating them into the distinctive melodies andasymmetric rhythms of traditional Bulgarian musicto create a breathtaking, fast moving, hilariouslyentertaining, description-defying, impressively virtuosicand totally unique experience. Well, that’s Farmers Market,except that, apart from saxophonist Trifon Trifonov, themembers all hail from Norway. Led by the multipleinstrumentwielding Stian Carstensen, the band has beenploughing its own furrow through the genres to theBalkans since starting out as a free jazz outfit in 1991 tobecome one of Norway’s most popular live acts.www.farmers-market.netStian Carstensen accordion, guitar, flute, vocalsFinn Guttormsen bassJarle Vespestad drumsNils-Olav Johansen guitar, vocalsTrifon Trifonov saxophoneHazelius Hedin (Sweden)Contact: MTA ProductionLabel: AmigoFriday 23:00 Nordic Club (Studio 4)The two protagonists of this dazzling duo are alreadywell-known figures on the Swedish folk music landscape.Esbjörn Hazelius is not only one of the country’s leadingfolk singers, he’s also a sought after instrumentalistand arranger and is one of the leading experts on Irishmusic in Scandinavia. Johan Hedin is one of Sweden’sforemost nyckelharpa players and has worked on furtherdeveloping this centuries-old instrument, building newmodels in different registers. Individually they haveparticipated in countless recordings and projects as wellas producing their own solo albums. Together they minethe rich vein of Swedish medieval ballads, sailor songs,love ballads and instrumental dance tunes, producingvibrantly fresh arrangements and inspiring originalcompositions informed by both Irish and Scandinaviantraditions.www.hazeliushedin.com› CD WOMEXIMIZER 11Esbjörn Hazelius vocals, cittern, guitar, octave mandolinJohan Hedin nyckelharpaS h o w c a s e s Special Focus: Nordic Club202203