The Shin, Valts Pūce - Es Arī
Latvian composer Valts Pūce and Georgian ethno-jazz group The Shin met in Latvia in 2008 at the ninth annual Porta World Music Festival. This initial meeting led to an exciting and emotionally saturated partnership. The concert program and album Es arī (Me, Too) is the material result of this collaboration.
The program was created over the course of three weeks in the summer of 2009 at Valts Pūce’s house on the Baltic coast.
Me, Too is a unity of opposites, a harmony of contrasts, and a wonderful example of how the North can become the South, and vice versa.
In the project, seemingly incompatible elements are blended together: Baltic composure and directness with the emotional spontaneity of the Caucasus. The crystal-clear voices of Latvian women with the lacy designs of Georgian men’s polyphonic singing. The simple design of Northern rhythms with the polyrhythms of the South.
In the live concerts, all these elements will be seasoned with spirited - measured, cheerfuly - pensive, Baltic - Caucasian dance!
The Shin is at the moment internationally most acclaimed Georgian world-jazz band. After successful performance at the WOMEX showcase in 2006, The Shin brought they program to enthusiastic audiences more than in 30 countries. The Shin musicians Zaza Miminoshvili (guitar), Zurab Gagnidze(bass, vocals) and Mamuka Gaganidze (vocals, percussion), who live for several years in Germany, belong to Georgian music elite. They have been scripted works for productions at the Tbilisi State Theatre and for numerous film, television, and radio projects in Georgia and around the world. The musicians take part in numerous international projects, cooperating with great musicians such as Chaka Khan, Oky Temiz, Randy Brecker, Giora Feidman, Jorge Pardo, Ivo Papasov, Jatinder Thakur, Theodosii Spassov and many others. In 2009 The Shin became the winner of theCreole World-Music National Competition in Germany.
In Latvia, Valts Pūce is famous for his unique ability to combine the substance and stylistic nuances of academic, folk, and rock music, thus providing an opportunity for modern people living in highly urbanized environments to become acquainted with extraordinarily diverse and deeply human qualities.
In his vital, philosophically poetic, dramatically refined, and playful arrangements of folk music, the composer has revealed a deep understanding of traditional Latvian culture.
Normunds Šnē and Raimonds Ozols are prominent musician in Latvia, and performed together in Valts Pūce’s legendary group Marana.
Normunds Šnē is the artistic director of the chamber orchestra Sinfonietta Rīga and a renowned oboist. Violinist Raimonds Ozols is a member of the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra; he also regularly performs solo programs, where he delights listeners with his style of crossover music.
Valters Pūce is a member of the cello group Melo-M, which is popular among younger audiences. A classically trained cellist, he performs Piazzolla’s tangos and classic rock songs with equal abandon.
Musicians:
ZaZa Miminoshvili – guitar (Georgia)
Zurab J. Gagnidze – bass, vocals (Georgia)
Mamuka Gaganidze – vocals, percussion (Georgia)
Valts Puce - accordion, vocals, (Latvia)
Ilona Hanina – vocals (Latvia)
Kristine Karkle–Purina – vocals (Latvia)
Normunds Sne – oboe (Latvia)
Raimonds Ozols - violin (Latvia)
Valters Puce – cello (Latvia)