Early Music Ensemble Drolls - Early Music Ensemble Drolls & Guda ‎– Zara (2006)

What is in common among the court-music of France in 13th century, Spanish anthems praising Virgin Mary, kupalian songs* and Balkan dances? At first sight, there are few similarities in these musical styles. But at closer examination we can notice that the kupalian song is a perfect match for the rhythm of the French estampie. And dancing syncope of Macedonia is an excellent match for the reaping chants. Such mixture of different styles is usually called as “world music” but in the sense of timing. It is a mixture of old and ancient, antique and archaic. The participants of this experiment are the early music ensemble “Drolls” and an ethnic band “Guda” (Belarus)
The ethnic band “Guda” is known as a performer of Belarusian rite folklore which came to us in a verbal form from ancestry of modern Belarusian people. The singers of the “Guda” band learned the manner of performance and repertoire from tradition-bearers and performers of the ancient rites living nowadays in the areas distant from urbanization centers.
The album will be presented as an audio-story, all tracks will consequently and smoothly change each other. Recording took place in labels of Petrozavodsk and Minsk cities. The professional drama actors took part in sound and noise effects recording.
One of the best folk-performers in Russia – Alexander Leonov (ex-“REEL” – now-“VA-TA-GA”) – took part in recording.* These songs were the integral part of the celebrations on the Festival of Ivan Kupala. The night of Ivan Kupala was one of the main pagan festivals of the Slavs. And after the Rus was baptized it coincided with the festival of Nativity of John the Baptist.

Drolls:
Cherevko Dmitry - records, leeru, cornamuse, double flute, overtone flute, ocarina, domra, vocal
Popov Pavel - raushpfeife, shawm, vocal
Solovyev Igor - oud, saz, gothic harp, kantele, mandolin, vocal
Nikitine Alexei - darabukka, djambey, landsknechttrommel, tabular bells, percussion, vocal
Popov Sergey - fiddle, rebec, double bass, vocal
Guda:
Olha Emialyanchyk, Olha Tarasevich, Viktoryia Mikhno, Liubou Sivurova, Katsiaryna Akimova
with:
Alexander Leonov (Va-Ta-Ga) - (4)
Grandfather: Viktor Kalinousky (1, 12)
Grandson: Oleg Kalinousky (1, 13)
“Drolls” recorded at Dreamworld Center, State National Theater of Republic Karelia (Petrozavodsk), in June – November 2005.
“Guda” recorded: June - July 2005 (Minsk)
Sound engineers - Andrey Ivanov, Valentin Borisevitch, Mikhail Ushinin, Vasily Nikalaenia
Mixed and mastering by Mikhail Ushinin, Dmitry Cherevko
Arranged by Drolls (3,5,7,9,11), Guda (6,10), D.Cherevko(2,4,8,13)
Design by Dmitriy Cherevko