We all have been struggling a bit to find appropriate ways to keep the live performance world going, with many musicians feeling acute frustration at the lack of contact with a real audience. Here is a refreshing approach from the Danish trio Dreamer’s Circus, a complete concert performed outside around a wood fire, and accompanied by birds in the nearby trees. All three are accomplished multi-instrumentalists, passing fiddle, keyboard and guitar parts around effortlessly as they lay out their new CD song by song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IQYWZkEVLM

Here’s where we’re going this month on Odyssey:
Feb. 6 – At long last we finally arrive in Estonia, with side trips to Latvia and Lithuania, after being waylaid by the snowstorm. The depth and beauty of the traditional music scene these three Northern European countries will surprise you, and we will explore some of the roots that all share with neighboring Finland, in particular.

Feb. 13 – It is sometimes a bit difficult to find recordings that reflect the immensity of the Russian musical landscape, but we will spend a couple of weeks exploring the many good ones that are available, from large choral ensembles to balalaika accompanied folk songs, we’ll look for the real stuff and ignore the somewhat laundered official offerings.

Feb. 20 – More from Mother Russia, with a look at contemporary music that is based on some of the many different ethnic groups that make up the country. You will be surprised and delighted!

Feb. 27 – Wanderings into Belarus and Poland this week, where the urge to create new aural landscapes from ancient traditions is very much alive and well in offerings from some of the best bands in Northern Europe.

I hope you’ll join me,

~ Dana