Graham Reid | | 2 min read
Gwydr Glas
At the forthcoming Womad in Tarakani wise ears will head to the sessions by the Welsh alt.folk group 9Bach whose ethereal (and exotically Welsh-language songs) have previously captured Elsewhere's attention.
Founded by a decade ago pianist/singer Lisa Jen and guitarist Martin Hoyland, they have taken their enchanting and timeless-sounding music to clubs and festivals across the globe, and their 2015 album Tincian/Resonate won best album at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.
Their more recent Anian/Nature reflects their global reach with some songs having Mediterranean influences. It also appears n Peter Gabriel's Real World label and he sings on one song.
So a world music group out of Wales coming to the Taranaki Womad.
Time then for Lisa Jen to answer our Famous Elsewhere World Music Questionnaire . . .
The first musician whose music really affected you was . . .
Lauren Hill
Your first appearance on stage before an audience was . . .
at the Eisteddfod at three years old, reciting and singing
If music was denied you, your other career choice would be . . .
running an animal sanctuary
The three songs (yours, or by others) you would love everyone to hear because they are so emotionally moving are . . .
Strange Fruit by Billie Holiday, Took The Children Away by Archie Roach and Higher State of Conciseness by Josh Wink
The most unusual place you have performed would be . . .
a converted gas cylinder in Czech Republic - amazing venue!
The most important book you have read is . . . And why?
Un Nos Ola Leuad (One Moonlit Night)? I realised you can be captivated and transported into someone else’s twisted mind and still understand every inch of it.
If you could get on stage with anyone it would be . . .
Beyonce.. (I’d be her favourite backing singer and dancer!)
The three films you'd like anybody watch because they might understand you better are . .
The Shining, Usual Suspects and Finding Nemo
The last CD, vinyl album or download you bought was . . .
Beyonce's Lemonade
When you travel, what is it you most miss about your home country?
The clean air, and the mountains!
The artist you most admire would be . . .
Aretha Franklin
Your favourite meal to share with friends would be . . .
A mezze of Greek and Mediterranean food, it’s called Pikilia, I like everyone to share hundreds of small plates all taste sensation and explosion of loveliness in your mouth.
My favourite is Imam Baldi and Fava. Fava is pulped up yellow split peas, finished with olive oil, chopped up red onion and some caper leaves with plenty of lemon and salt
Do you practice every day, and if so for how long?
NO! Never!
David Bowie sang, “Five years, that's all we've got . . .” If that were true, you would spend them where, doing . . .?
I’d spend them traveling around making connections and laughing with like minded people I meet along the way, the last year I would spend traveling between the blue Aegean sea of Greece and the ice cold clear lakes of Snowdonia National Park in Wales - my family and animals would HAVE TO BE WITH ME at all times!
And finally, do you have any unrealised goals in music?
I would love to sing me heart out on the main stage at Glastonbury Festival
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For details on Womad artists and booking information go here.
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