Bosnia's Amira headlines and a UK debut for Turkey's Arifa


Musicport Festival and top EU artists

This years Musicport Festival, held in the beautiful seaside town of Whitby, North Yorkshire on October 18th – 20th, will see over 50 acts in one indoor venue and over 5 stages take you on a world journey with artists from Tuva, Denmark, Peru, Zimbabwe, Bosnia, USA, Tanzania, Mali, Iran & Egypt and including a UK debut from Turkish band Arifa

Neville Staple (The Specials & Fun Boy Three) and his band will headline on Friday night, Saharan blues band Tamikrest on Saturday & the highly acclaimed & mesmerising Bosnian singer Amira will finish the Sunday proceedings, along with many hidden treasures amongst the wide-ranging & ambitious programme.

Interviews with both artists are available and images for previews upon request.

Musicport Festival 18th - 20th October 2013  

www.musicportfestival.com  

 

 

Amira & The Amulette Trio (Bosnia)

http://www.amiramedunjanin.ba/index.php/about-amira/

 

It is not easy to find a single word in English that can stand for the Bosnian concept of SEVDAH, although yearning perhaps comes closest. Like the Spanish duende, it carries multiple meanings – love, hopeless love, endless love, a desire that chills and fevers the lover like malaria, and like malaria can never be shaken off – but in the end, it’s a way of life, and a narrative that tells the story of itself.

 

Amira Medunjanin was born in Sarajevo at the time when the popularity of traditional music in the former Yugoslavia was at the high tide, and sevdah held a special place for her.  The sevdalinke (sevdah songs) she learned from her mother were the most beautiful of songs.  Her fascination with the oral tradition of Bosnia and Herzegovina led her to devote herself to creating a unique voice within sevdalinke to explore their expressive capacity to the full.  She had spent years searching in vain for to find people who shared her ideas about Sevdah, and for the best way to present it.

 

Dubbed “Bosnia’s Billie Holiday” by music journalist and author Garth Cartwright, the comparison reflects the way in which Amira turns sevdah inside out, finding new contexts and forms within a tradition that is hundreds of years old.

 

Amira has gone from being a 16 year old hiding in the burnt out basements of Sarajevo (read more here) http://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/jan/20/amira-medunjanin-interview-ed-vulliamy?CMP=twt_fd to being recognised as one of the great voices of her generation, and almost certainly the finest from eastern Europe" The Observer

 

"Amira's fascination with the oral tradition of Bosnia and Herzegovina led her to devote herself to creating a unique voice within Sevdalinke to explore their expressive capacity to the full."

 

See Amira live with her trio, including the highly regarded jazz pianist Bojan Z, at Musicport Festival on Sunday 20th October @ 5pm

 

 

Arifa

http://www.arifamusic.com/

"A bridge of sounds between the Orient and Occident"

 

Arifa are a Turkish band based in The Netherlands who will be making their UK debut at Musicport Festival on Sunday October 20th @ 8pm.

 

The band have received numerous 5 star reviews for their 2 albums to date:

Arifa strikes gold. This is music that can make you shiver with delight"

 

'Arifa combines the musical heritage of Babylon, Istanbul, Bucharest and Amsterdam with electronics and contemporary improvisations. The result transcends the sum of its parts and is a journey far into the realm of imagination.' (Songlines)

 

'In its exquisite beauty this debut album holds up to the level of the best works of Anouar Brahem.' (Volkskrant)

 

Ancient musical traditions from the Middle East and Balkans are blended with jazz and contemporary improvised music through a Western frame of mind.

 

Arifa's secret is the creative chemistry between its four members - Alex Simu (Romania), - Sax, Clarinet & Live Laptop, Mehmet Polat (Turkey) - Ud, Franz von Chossy (Germany) - Piano and Sjahin During (Turkey/Holland) - Afro Anatolian Percussion.

 Coming from Romania, Turkey, the Netherlands and Germany their music is just as diverse as their origins, moving from traditional Turkish and Balkan sounds to jazz and classical music and take the audience on a truthful and adventurous musical journey. Original compositions and ancient melodies from Arabic, Anatolian and Balkan worlds, combined with live electronics and contemporary improvised music.

 “This will be a very special UK debut from a fine band we have been wanting to bring to Musicport for quite a while”. Songlines Magazine

 

Tickets for the full weekend are £85 (£80 concessions) with 11-18 year olds half price. Day and session tickets are also available too.

 

For all ticket & all other enquiries please ring 01947 603475 or visit  www.musicportfestival.com

 

These events have been made possible in part thanks to the support of the European Commission in the context of its awareness-raising campaign on EU enlargement. The objective of this campaign is to inform citizens in the current EU Member States about the enlargement policy of the European Union and the countries in the process.

Notes to Editors

Interviews are available with both Amira and the band Arifa ahead of their performances if you would consider featuring please.

Musicport was established in 2000 to promote live music and music education in Whitby and the surrounding area with its primary event being Musicport World Music Festival each autumn. Over the last thirteen years the festival has grown year on year and has established itself as a prestigious event in the festival calendar attracting major names such as Rachid Taha, The Buena Vista Social Club presents Cachaito Lopez etc, Toumani Diabate, Levellers,Misty In Roots, Courtney Pine, Talvin Singh, Richard Hawley, Hugh Masekela, Chumbawamba, Altan, Mory Kante, Osibisa, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, & Los De Abajo.

As well as the festival Musicport also run a regular concert programme (The Compass Club) both in Whitby Artists who have appeared as part of previous concert programmes include Jah Wobble’s Invaders Of The Heart, Midge Ure, Daby Balde , Yusa, The Easy Star All Stars, Hazel O’Connor, Asere, Black Umfolosi, Sharron Shannon, Waterson Carthy, & Kate Rusby.

They are partners in the North Yorkshire Youth Music Action Zone and also run a regular programme of education workshops and activities.

August 5, 2013 8:12am ET by Manilla PR Ltd.   Comments (0)

, ,

SHARE THIS

Latest Press Releases