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Barzaz - Ec'honder

Barzaz - Ec'honder

€20,00 EUR
€20,00 EUR
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Diffusion Breizh - LP
Brittany, 1989
Breizh / Fusion / Traditional

Brittany record led by "Kan Ha Diskan" legend Yann-Fañch Kemener, infusing Jazz Fusion elements into traditional bretonne music. Weirdly, I tend to think it aged better than most Fusion Jazz records from that era. Very unique, to say the least.

It took me a while before I could consider listening to musique bretonne - music from Brittany - without feeling the ick. I grew up there, and traditional Brittany music used to be synonymous with annoying old people celebrating a culture I couldn't care less about (I was too busy having my mind blown by Sean Paul's Temperature or Destination Calabria). The first Brittany music shock I had as an adult was Kristen Nogues's Marc'h Gouez, one of the few records I couldn't part with when I sold my records collection. 

Since then, I happened to dig quite a lot in Brittany, as the French region was and still is my destination of choice for holidays. And here I am, now promoting this one-of-a-kind fusion bretonne music record. Have to say that the main appeal of this Barzaz LP is its unapologetic dance nature: many songs indeed are traditional dance tunes, the kind that would be played at fest noz, (extremely) popular traditional dance festivals in Brittany. By the way, fest noz are quite amazing to experience,  as hundreds of people, from all generations, dance together till late in the night.

To think a DJ who has never been to Brittany can now unironically play this kind of traditional "dancing" tunes at a party is both puzzling and heartwarming. Puzzling, because it further questions the idea of a global dance sound and its bounds with very specific and local cultures, and heartwarming because, as weird as it may sound to many ears, the groove of Barzaz's tunes cannot be ignored - probably thanks to its nagging fretless bass. (VG+ / VG+)

Tracklist

  1. Gavotenn Bro Pourlet
  2. Gwerz Maivonig
  3. Dañs Fisel
  4. N'eo Ket En Ho Ti Tavarnourez
  5. An Erc'h War An Enezeg
  6. Dañs Plinn
  7. Al Lez-Vamm
  8. Jon bale Bro Pourlet

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