Photo: (clockwise from top left):bębenek, lira korbowa, fidel Płocka, bas, cymbały, suka Biłgorajska; Maja Kleszcz (center)
Under the auspices of The Polish Cultural Institute of New York, The Warsaw Village Band (Kapela ze Wsi Warszawa) has been touring the United States.
The last dates to see them are:
Friday, Nov. 6 – Somerville, MA at Somerville Theater
Saturday, Nov. 7 – Washington, DC at National Geographic
Sunday, Nov. 8 – New York City at World Music Institute - Highline Ballroom
Antique traditional Polish instruments are a major inspiration for the Band which infuses contemporary rhythms and haunting cutting-edge vocals into folk forms. Among these are: cymbały (hammered dulcimer), bębenek obrzęczowy (cymbaled hand drum), baraban (double-headed side drum), lira korbowa (hurdy-gurdy), fidel Płocka (chordophone violin) and the suka Biłgorajska – a 16th century knee four string fiddle with and archaic wide but short neck, flat bottom, resonance case made from one piece of wood. A shout singing style, biały głos (white voice) accentuates the folk tunes.
