Andrea Gerak Live on Tilos Radio, Part 2

Monday, 10 Aug 2009: Andrea Gerak was guest in the weekly Folk Music Show of Tilos Radio.

You can read Andrea's personal impressions in her Facebook note

"And what was amazing: the chat room. We had listeners from Canada, Spain, Sweden, 2 or 3 from Slovakia, Denmark, 3 people from Italy..."

This was Part 1

Here in Part 2:
- find out more about Andrea's acapella solo concert, its concept etc,
- get a sneak peak of this concert, even with one song live at the studio,
- a Hungarian folk singer and a Greek balkanologist talk about folk songs of Eastern Europe and the Balkan,
- Andrea greets her English speaking listeners :-)

Enjoy!

LISTEN TO PART 2 ONLINE

(The second half an hour starts with cimbalom music)

Evantia: After Imre's flying visit, let's get quickly back to Andi Gerak - we left off at the international connections.

Andrea: (laughing) Yeah, the international connections... I guess, lastly I started to talk about that one more, besides this very special plan, there is one more producer from yet another country, with whom we started to talk and get each other know, to see if there could be something to work on together. Beyond these, there are plans on other continents as well, about making songs together with one musician or another or, what I would like even more, concerts. So, I am putting out my... my... feelers.

(both laughing)

Evantia: And I was very glad to hear that you are preparing for a pretty big bang!

Andrea: Why... if you think of my solo concert as a big bang...

Evantia: Although I myself am not a singer, but I think that a completely solo concert (=acapella solo concert) is always more difficult by orders of magnitude, than one with accompaniment, because when you mess up something solo, that's a total mess-up...

Andrea: Absolutely!

Evantia: Right? And also, you don't have a chance to take a rest. While when you have an accompaniment, at least you can go out to drink some water...

Andrea: Igen. Well, this... I got the idea of this show that I had been singing very, very much with only one voice, without accompaniment, but it has not formed into a round program. Then, a couple of months ago, somehow I put together a show, from my favorite songs...

Evantia: Is this the concept, that these are your favorites?

Andrea: The title is "Little Songs From a Big World". Our generation probably still remembers that there was a tv program those days...

Evantia: Short Films From the Big World (literally: Little Films)

Andrea: Short Films From the Big World, little, interesting short films, and... well... this is the title I gave to my show, Little Songs From a Big World. Beyond Hungarian folk songs, I am also very excited about what connections exist with other nations songs. It happened very many times that I was singing a Hungarian folk song, and others said to me: Wow, this reminds them of an Irish song. And this, of a Portugal one. And this, - I don't know - of a a Bulgarian one. Etcetera.

Evantia: So you were trying to find the paralellism?

Andrea: I didn't even have to search for them much, because it happened, for instance that just for fun, I was humming a Hungarian folk song, a very well known Hungarian folk song, and automatically a Turkish one popped in to my mind. As a continuation. And i started to play around with these two, how would they sound together.

Evantia: I would like to have a listen to this Turkish one, if you feel for it...

Andrea: As a sneak peak? (laughing)

Evantia Ziku balkanologist, hostess of the show

Evantia: I'm sure you know that I am Greek, so my main interest is the Balkan.

Andrea: Yes.

Evantia: Don't get me wrong, I also like Hungarian folk music, but it's Balkan that is really mine, right?

Andrea: That's clear! And when I learned this about you, I immediately thought about another song, which is also part of this show...

Evantia: I will be very happy with that too,(Andrea laughing) I will be very happy with that too! I wanna tell you, before you break into singing, that my first big encounter with Hungarian folk music was at the first Tanchaztalalkozo. You know Nikola Parov?

Andrea: Yes

Evantia: That time, he was with Zsaratnok, and I was teaching at the Zsaratnok tanchaz at the first Tanchaztalalkozo.

Andrea: Yayy!

Evantia: And I was walking around and around with Nikola, and that time they were selling the Barozda LPs from haversacks, half-hidden, half-secretly...

Andrea: Yes, yes.

Evantia: ...and suddenly Nikola says to me: "Buy this, because you will like this one a lot." And I swear to you, that record, that LP, I listened to it till it got holes on it, really.

Andrea: I believe you...

Evantia: For me, this was the big encounter with Hungarian folk music, and... if one thinks it over, this is a beautiful story, because a Greek and a Bulgarian discuss Hungarian folk music...

(both laughing)

Andrea: If the Barozda guys don't listen to this broadcast, I will them this story and certainly they will be glad about it.

Evantia: Istvan Pavai knows it, because I have told him this story several times, but no problem, if this story travels on. Now, do you feel like singing? Or shall we put on a CD?

Andrea: First, we could put on a CD, and it is... just as my concerts begins. From where else could I start such a trip around the world, as my homeland.

Evantia: Is this your homeland, around Domahaza?

Andrea: Domahaza is close to Ozd, and I was born in Ozd. So this will be two folk songs from Domahaza. This recording was made at the first take, and it's not a very, very, very, very, sterile studio recording with a lot of cosmetics done on it (Evantia: "Oh, that's good!"), therefore it sounds about the same when I sing live.

Evantia: Good, okay, then let's listen to this one!

(Folk songs from Domahaza plays)

12:20

Evantia: Well yeah, these tech things always let me down, so please excuse me for that.

(both laughing)

Evantia: Andi Gerak was singing folk songs from Domahaza, from a recording, but sooner or later the moment will come when she will sing here live. Shall we talk a little more about this concert? Because as far as I remember, we haven't said the date and time.

Andrea: With pleasure, and naturally, I take the opportunity. So it will be on the coming Saturday at 8pm, in the Voros Oroszlan Teahaz (=Red Lion Tea House), 12 Villanyi str. This is a 1-minute walk from Moricz Zsigmond korter. And approximately, it will be 1.5-2 hours, (sorry, I did push something with this key?...)

Evantia: No problem

Andrea: Good. So it will be 1.5-2 hours, depending on the audience, will it be only Hungarians or foreigners as well. Because I tell a little bit about the story of each song. Meaning that I present what is it about at all. I have had this concert once, and it went bilingual.

Evantia: Say, this can slow down things...

Andrea: Yes, and the length of the show can depend on it.

Evantia: You have to translate yourself... And this way, your throat can't have a rest at all, can it? Because you are talking or you are singing.

Andrea: Well, why, it's harder to talk than to sing, for me.

Evantia: Is it?

Andrea: Yes, yes and it's interesting. But I did the whole thing to the end, without any problems, so... it won't be a problem now either. Once again: on Saturday, 8pm at Voros Oroszlan Teahaz.

Evantia: At eight.

Andrea: At eight, yes. 12 Villanyi street.

Evantia: Is there an entrance fee?

Andrea: 500 Forints.

Evantia: One must not say that!

Andrea: One must not? Oh sorry! I didn'... didn't... Then I take this back.

Evantia: Right. This was not said. There is an entrance fee.

Andrea: Yes. The tea is very nice, pleasant environment and very good service.

Evantia: The other concert you mentioned, was it also at this place?

Andrea: No, it was not at this place. Why I know this is a good place, because one week ago or when? On the 1st of August, I was there for the launch of a poetry book. There I sang one song and that's when I got to know this tea house. I had this concert first at the bookstore café called Treehugger Dan's, that is behind the Opera House, a very pleasant little place.

Evantia: And when you sing at a café or tea house, do they do service as usual, while you are singing?

Andrea: Oh no, first they buy the tea, coffee, Bambi (name of an old Hungarian soda), whatever they want, they sit down, and they are sipping their drinks, and then we take a break, so that they can re-order, or go for a cigarette, and so on.

Evantia: This way it sound much more appealing.

Andrea: Sure! Sure.

Evantia: Unlike when one goes to a music-dancing pub, but this is something different.

Andrea: No, this was very nice the other time, it was indeed a good length of show, and they were sitting it through, listened to it with attention, they were singing with me every now and then...

Evantia: That is good!

Andrea: Yes! Now also, I am looking forward to it very much.

Evantia: Saturday 8pm, Voros Oroszlan Teahaz. Will you sing now?

Andrea: Shall I? A while ago, we were talking about the Balkan, and there is a song... - I will sing two Turkish songs at the concert, I can reveal this much, and one more song from the Balkan, I will tell about it, what kind of song is that. And this little song grew to my heart very much, when I found it and listened to it in several versions. I am also singing it in several versions, on several kind of voices, I mean sometimes... - well, when we imagine down at the Balkan, for example the... Bulgarian girl stands there on the mountain, and... lets out...

Evantia: Why, that was the mobile phone. My grandmo... not my grandmother, my grand-grandmother, called my grand-grand father home this way, she stood in front of the house and started singing Jorgos come home, dinner is ready! And that was the mobile phone those days.

Andrea: Yes, yes... Anyway, there is a version when I sing this song this way, but this tiny room... couldn't really take such a thing.

Evantia: Yes please, don't destroy the equipment!
(both laughing)

Andrea: And it also happens, when the situation is such or my mood, that it is more quiet, intimate.

Evantia: From the Pirinians, I don't know, I simply get the chills. When two Bulgarian, Pirinian old women starts to sing together, and they two sing 613 harmonies - that is something really amazing.

Andrea: Yes... Well, I would like to learn that! That is... well...

Evantia: There was here... with the then existing Rila Band, was singing Roza Banceva, if you can get access to her recordings, definitely get them. Unfortunately, she went back, or for her, this is not unfortunate, she went back to Bulgaria, but she performed some incredible things.

Andrea: Yes

Evantia: Nnah!

A Nah, so then I shall sing one. This song is called Zajdi, Zajdi, and it is known at several places on the Balkan. (checking for the right note) At the concert, of course I will also tell what is it about, and some more about it.

(Singing)

Andrea: So this was the song.

Evantia: And the good thing about these songs is that one can sing one's pain into them.

Andrea: Well yes, this one is a rather dolorous one...

Evantia: In the meantime, I prepared a little surprise for you, a women choir from Zagreb.

Andrea: Wow!

(Silence)

Evantia: Some... something is wrong again... we'll figure it out. In the meantime, please entertain the listeners.

Andrea: Shall I entertain the audience? What I wanted to say about this song and about this concert is that on Saturday, in this tea house I will let my voice out a little bit more, the sound is very nice there. (Music turning on) And, I want to take the chance to say hello to my friends. I got feedback on Facebook from all corners of the world that people would have a listen to this show, so if you don't mind, now I would say one or two words to them in English.
Hi everybody who is listening here! Some of my friends said that they would join us, from different parts of the States, and Australia, Italy, Spain, I don't remember, Belgium, Canada, yeah! So, hello everybody, I love you all and I am looking forward so and I am looking forward to see you so much LIVE, at some point and meet you, because you are fantastic people. So I hope you enjoy this show.

Andrea Gerak chatting with the listeners

(From now on, only music, from Eastern Europe and the Balkan)

LISTEN TO PART 3 ONLINE
LISTEN TO PART 4 ONLINE

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Andrea Gerak Live on Tilos Radio, Part 1

Last night, on the 10th of August, Andrea Gerak was the guest of the weekly Folk Music Show at Tilos (=Forbidden) Radio, Hungary's oldest and biggest independent station.

You can read Andrea's personal impressions in her Facebook note

"And what was amazing: the chat room. We had listeners from Canada, Spain, Sweden, 2 or 3 from Slovakia, Denmark, 3 people from Italy..."

Here you can listen to the whole show (2 hours of which Andrea appears in the first 80 minutes or so). You can follow the conversation by reading the English transcript below, enjoy!

LISTEN TO PART 1 (Show starts at 2:38 with music)

9:00

Evantia: Good evening everybody, this is the Tilos Radio Folk Music Show, as always on Mondays from 10pm to Midnight. Imre (aka DJ Qtewly, another host of the show) is at the Sziget with Tecso Band, therefore I will be your host tonight. And thanks God, I have a very nice guest as well, Andi Gerak, and she brought some music with her, we are just battling with little technical problems, but sooner or later we will play them. Hi Andi and welcome! (literal translation: God has brought you here!)

Andrea: Hi Evantia, and thank you very much for the invitation, it was a nice surprise!

Evantia: It was a surprise for me too, because as I knew, you were in Sweden and couldn't guess that we would meet at the concert of Tecso Band, and it was a pleasant surprise.

Andrea: Yes, it was very, very good! Amongst the listeners, there are certainly some who know that the Tecso Band played last night on the A38 Boat and I went to see and listen to them, then at the end we had a good dance together, and that's how we found out who was who...

Evantia: ...because we have only met so far on various folk music email lists on the internet. Andi, you brought some music with you, and said that these were new works or collections, or I don't even know how to call them, what are they?

Andrea: Why, there are new ones, that's right, like the one in the player right now, ready for play, titled If I Was a River.

Evantia: Which...?

Andrea: ...which was made with Fabatka Band. Fabatka is a band from Sepsiszentgyorgy (Sfântu Gheorghe, Transylvania, Romania), lead by Feri Segercz who will introduce the company at the beginning, because this recording was taken at Budapest Jazz Club in the spring, at the Celebration of Hungarian Jazz. And this is a rather interesting collaboration with them: I met Feri last summer at the Magyarfalu Days. Magyarfalu is the most Eastern Hungarian Csango village, and that was my first trip there. I kept contact with Feri, and he asked me to do one or two songs with them for this jazz festival.

Evantia: I am very curious about this recording! There is an email list of tanchaz people in Transylvania, and I wrote there last night that you would come, so we can hope that Feri Segercz is listening us as well, if he is not on vacation or at a camp somewhere... Because perhaps, they have the Valaszut Camp now? That's what I think, that Valaszut Camp is on right now, so if he is not there, hopefully he is listening to us. Now I am experimenting with the technics, so if it will not start, I apologize in advance, but I hope it will start.

(track plays, applause, the band leader introduces the members, then music. Song stops abruptly)

17:05

Evantia: Yeah well, this ended in a little bit strange way, we didn't keep track, sorry for that.

Andrea: Well, this song was pretty long...

Evantia: So where was this song recorded? At the Jazz Club?

Andrea: Yes, at the Jazz Club in the spring, for the Celebration of Hungarian Jazz.

Evantia: With the Fabatka Band. Will you tell us a little bit about Sweden? How is it to be a Hungarian singer over there?

Andrea: Strange, very strange, because... ...there are a lot of Hungarians there, in the bigger cities, like Stockholm, Göteborg, Malmö, many people migrated there in '56.

Evantia: And the Bodzafa and Barozda... (Hungarian folk bands from Transylvania)

Andrea: Barozda, yes. Now this is an interesting story with the Barozda, because in 2006, I was invited to the Brugge World Music Festival in Belgium, and I had to find a band. I was there in Stockholm, alone, a Hungarian folk singer, what do I do? (laughing) And on the net...

Evantia: Well, I can imagine this desparation, seriously, where do I get a violonist from, or such things as a double bass player...

Andrea: Eventually, it was very simple, because I went on the band link directory of the Folkradio site, and the first one on the list was the Barozda. I did a search on them and saw that gee, they were 1 hour distance from me, so this is how the connection began.

Evantia: So cool!

Andrea: Sometimes I sing at events of the Hungarian House, but it's a little rare, at least in Stockholm, Hungarian events are not too common.

Evantia: And around the world?

Andrea: Around the world? Well, I would go with great pleasure to much more places! Exactly now, in these past couple of weeks, mainly, there are several co-operations in a forming phase. Only last week, really, literally in the last few days I got in contact with an Italian producer who is working here with one of the most renown Hungarian producers, and we began to work out the plans for a project in Hungary, Italy and later in Europe. Then, I was also contacted by somebody from another country in Europe with such a... such a... plan, the plan of a happening, event or concert, that... if I think of it, then... I remain speechless and I get goosebumps...

Evantia: By the way, one can see that! (laughing)

Andrea: (laughing) Fantastic! Obviously, I won't say one more word about that,...

Evantia: This is an excellent marketing gimmick! (laughing)
Andrea: (laughing)

Evantia: Yay, sorry, sorry to interrupt you, I just forgot to say that Imre has also arrived and it is quite unusual that he is quiet...

Andrea: (laughing)

Imre: When others talk, I am normally quiet...

(they all laugh)

Evantia: Shall we confute him, Andi? (laughing)
I: Go ahead, if you can... Then I say hello, good evening!

(Imre announces at which frequencies is the radio station available, the website, etc. Then he talks about the Sziget Festival, the Hungaricum Village where there are all kind of folky things, music, dance and products. And talks about the Tecso Band concert next day, and the first festival in Nagykereki, the Tecso Band tour in Romania on the 16th in Zsombolya, and in Temesvar, Timisoara)

26:00

Imre: So, here and now again, I thank Andrea for the beautiful contribution on the A38 Boat, at the concert of Tecso Band...

Andrea: Yay, I thank you so much, it was so great to meet these man and listen to their music! I think I was not able to stay still for one single minute when I was listening to their music, simply... one must move to it, dance to it.

Evantia: Now imagine that Imre has listened to them 10 000 times or so, and me 1000 times, let's say, and it's simply impossible to get bored with.

Imre: (joking about an old Hungarian advertisement with the theme of " impossible to get bored with." All laughing, then he says good night. Music. End of Part 1)


Stay tuned for Part 2, Andrea will sing a song in the studio!

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Tonight on Tilos Radio

Andrea Gerak will be guest of the two-hour program on the oldest Hungarian independent radio station Tilos (=Forbidden)

Of course, all the talking will be in Hungarian, but you can listen a couple of songs from Andrea, even a sneak peak of her new recordings. And a lot of other good music: not only Hungarian folk but tunes from other places on Earth as well.

Broadcasted from Budapest, August 10 Monday, 10pm Central Europe Time

Later on, the recorded broadcast will be available online on the radio's website and here in this blog where you can also read the transcript in English.

LISTEN ONLINE

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Acapella solo concert again!

Folk songs from Domahaza
Asiye

In her solo show Little Songs From A Big World Andrea Gerak takes the listener to a trip through acapella folk songs of her upcoming same titled album, from Hungary to Turkey, Ireland, Solomon Islands, Peru and more, even linking some of the melodies to other genres such as pop or jazz, telling stories about the background of each song, dancing, truly communicating with the audience. (In English and/or Hungarian, depending on the audience)

This is what Treehugger Dan has to say about the same concert at his bookstore café in April:

"I am addicted to Hungarian folk dancing, but have never been a big fan of the singing. With the possible exception of Lovasz Iren with Makam, Hungarian female folk singers tend to go for the high notes and stay there, which causes a fingernails-on-the-chalkboard reaction in me. So when the very accomplished folk-world music singer Andrea Gerak came to sing last night at Treehugger Dan's, I did not know what to expect, but thought I did. My fears were entirely unfounded, and it was a very pleasant intimate candlelit evening of "little songs from a big world." I especially enjoyed it when she showed the audience where the songs were from on an imaginary map like a meteorologist. Andrea sang some beautiful songs in Turkish, Hungarian, English, and Gypsy. I will definietly try to invite her back in the Autumn."

A cozy evening at a nice tea house (excellent tea and service!) One minute walk from Moricz Zsigmond square, on the left side of Villanyi str.



Place: Voros Oroszlan Teahaz (Red Lion Tea House)
Budapest, distr. 11, Villanyi str 12.
Time: August 15 Saturday, 20:00
Entrance fee: 500.- (consumption not included)

Information:
Tea House or CONTACT page
Tel.: +36 1 279 1133, +36 70 4023173

Entrance: 500.-HUF (consumption not included)

This event on Facebook

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Artist of the Month: Zita Tatrai soprano

Andrea Gerak presents a new series, introducing some of her artist friends: well known or lesser known singers, musicians, bands, composers of several music styles and genres, Hungarian and international ones alike, that deserve your attention. Enjoy meeting Andrea's friends!

Zita Tatrai sings Turandot

Hello everybody,

I am launching a new series of reviews that can be of your interest. As I am in contact with many fantastic talents from all over the world that I have the honor to call friends, I would like to introduce them to you. I will write these reviews from not only a professional viewpoint, but because these artists are in fact my friends in one way or the other, I will give it a personal touch as well. Each month, you can meet one artist who caught my attention in the previous weeks, who had something special happening, like a new album coming out.

Why would a singer review fellow musicians? A couple of weeks ago I posted a few photos of the Hungarian Music Academy in my Budapest blog, and there I was thinking: whom I would like to hear there, performing? A few names popped into my mind immediately, and this is how reviewing some of my artist friends was born. And actually, exactly those days I wrote a couple of lines about one of my all time favorite bands The Jive Aces which was published on the biggest Hungarian music site.


With whom else should I start such a series than one of my best friends Zita Tatrai soprano who grew up in my hometown Kazincbarcika as well. Funny enough, we got to know each other only as adults, in Budapest. I met her as the wife of a composer I was working with and first I heard Zita from a recording he showed me - and I went "WOW!"

I also remember that I was very much impressed when I visited them at home and saw many wonderful, colorful paintings on the wall, radiating a lot of positive vibes, by Zita Tatrai soprano I am writing about. Later on, she was commissioned by United Nations to paint a mural at the International University of Honduras.

Even funnier is that since I know Zita, I haven't heard her performing - our paths crossed here and there every once in a while, but we both were on the move and I never had a chance to see my friend on stage...

But I heard Zita practicing, giving lessons or humming for herself, just for fun. Years ago, I was staying in her house in England for a short while, and right now she is staying with me here in Budapest. It's such a great fun! She is doing her scales in the room, and I join her from the other room, the kitchen or the bathroom - can you imagine this? Zita is singing when she does her hair, when she is checking out stuff on the net, I can hear her voice from the staircase when I come home... filling the whole house with a huge, brilliant voice, of which I often get that special feeling I always look for in music, even when she does the simple warm-up exercises. She only steps out from the house when she is satisfied with all her preparations and ready to perform, let it be an important meeting or "only" a rehearsal with her pianist.

Major achievements of Zita Tatrai's singer career include:
Finalist of the “Cittá del Alcamo” International Singing Competition 2006, Semi-finalist of the Rocca Delle Macíe International Singing Competition 2006,
5TH OTTAVIO ZIINO International Opera Competition in Roma 2006,
First International Singing Competition 'Tommaso Traetta' 2007,

Read bio


Tosca

Velvety, beautiful speaking voice as well - Zita is a trained actress, she used to be the Hungarian voice of Xena.

Singer, painter, actress - but there is more: Zita Tatrai makes great portrait photos; she has a good sense to see the beauty in even such people who don't consider themselves beautiful. I can tell that it is fun to work with her, I enjoyed her creativity while we had a photo session, this is one shot she did of me.

As a freelance journalist, years back she published articles in daily newspapers about her observations on everyday life in the city.

On top of all her artistic sides (who says that one can't excel at several art forms???), Zita is a gorgeous and very intelligent woman, a great friend, a fun, communicative person, a being with an enormous heart - a whole package.

Our little city and our little country can be proud to give such a talent to the world.

- Andrea Gerak

Zita Tatrai links:
Official website
MySpace
Artist page on Facebook
Photography page on Facebook