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Kroke (Yiddish for Krakow) are a very talented Polish klezmer-inspired group made of up 3 old friends classically trained on viola, accordion and double bass. The word klezmer generally makes me think of frenetic brass ensembles, however in relation to Kroke the term can be misleading. Their sound is much broader, encompassing Jewish, Middle Eastern, gypsy and classical traditions. The mood is romantic and lyrical, tangible coming out of old traditions but not confined to them.  They have done a number of interesting collaborations with different musicians and a track was recently featured on David Lynch’s last film, Inland Empire.

The first album that I got into and like as a whole is Seventh Trip. You can listen to a the song “Take It Easy” on the playlist Gourmet Waltz (track 3).


You can buy tickets to concert on the Southbank Website: http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/find/music/gigs-contemporary/tickets/kroke-and-nigel-kennedy-52600

I forgot to mention in my last post what day Marta Topferova is playing- its Friday April 9 at the cozy venue Green Note in Camden, London. Buy tickets here:


http://www.greennote.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=877&Itemid=6





Listen to a live clip of her singing the beautiful Grano de Arena

There is a little church, hidden away down a small alley off Bishopsgate near Liverpool station in London. Every week in this church a wonderful man called Wallee Mcdonnell organizes a concert with talented musicians from traditions ranging from Qawaali to Balkan, West African and Kurdish. It is a little gem of a place. St Ethelburga’s Church, 78 Bishopsgate. The music schedule can be viewed online.

Marta Topferova is one of my favorite artists. Every one of her albums (sadly bar the latest) are filled with incredible songs and listenable the whole way through (something I find rare!). She sings almost entirely in Spanish, in an earthy sensuous tone, and is accompanied by beautiful acoustic arrangements. Every time I put on one of her albums, I feel immediately transported and uplifted, somewhere in between melancholy and joy.


Have a listen to a live version of Semana Azul with just her and her cuatro (small Venezuelan guitar): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmEmgOGYtJM


Anyone of her albums is perfect for a dinner party. Its very surprising and unfortunate that she hasnt been discovered by a wider audience… but all the better for you to catch her now at Green Note! Which brings me to the point of my blurb – she will be playing in London soon!! And you can see her, but tickets are running out fast. http://www.greennote.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=877&Itemid=6


The best part is that she is playing in a tiny, cozy little venue (reminiscent of college town music venues), big enough to fit a dozen tables, and small enough to feel super up close, called Green Note, in Camden. Ive got my tickets, so maybe see you there!

If you haven’t discovered Céu, a Brazilian singer-songwriter from São Paolo, then you’re in for a treat.

She has just released her second album, Vagarosa, which translates to “slow, easy-going” in Portuguese. Friday night she played at the London College Union theatre and I went to check her out, in the flesh.

Listening to her album you wouldn’t be sure that it would translate to a successful live show.  Yes, she was sexy, entrancing us with her sultry confidence on stage, moving around freely in her short school girl skirt and neon yellow suspenders, grooving to all of the songs.  But thankfully, I realized, she is not the product of a group of great producers and musicians. Her voice was excellent live. She has her own unique style, moving between lush nonsensical sounds to intensely belting out the lyrics. She brought her studio engineer and some great musicians, so the overall sound was fantastic. Always so satisfying to have this sense of confirmation when you see an artist you love play live.

Check her out. Her first, self-titled, album is also excellent. She does a great cover of Concrete Jungle and Ave Cruz and Malemolencia are two other highlights.