IĻĢU versija par Latviešu tautas dziesmu "Aiz kalniņa dūmi kūp(a)". 2014 gada jūnijs. 

Aiz kalniņa dūmi kūp(a) (Iļģi, 2014.g.)

Es Ar Sauli Sadereju - live at WOMEX

Seju Veju - live at WOMEX

Skiratiesi Zosu Pulki - live at WOMEX

Vilks - ILGI

Band: Iļģi
Song: Saule brida miglājos
Album: Īsākās nakts dziesmas
Year: 2009
Label: Platforma Records / Latvia

Celebrate the summer solstice with the leader of Latvian post-folk music.

Ilgi - Saule Brida Miglajos

Band: Iļģi
Song: Pirts kurināšana
Album: Tur saulīte pērties gāja
Year: 2011
Label: Upe tuviem un tāliem / Latvia

No. 4 on the World Music Charts Europe in April 2012, and named 2011 Folk Album of the Year by the Latvian recording industry.

Ilgi - Pirts Kurinasana

Band: Iļģi
Song: Gara pupa
Album: Tur saulīte pērties gāja
Year: 2011
Label: Upe tuviem un tāliem / Latvia

No. 4 on the World Music Charts Europe in April 2012, and named 2011 Folk Album of the Year by the Latvian recording industry.

Ilgi - Gara Pupa

Band: Iļģi
Song: Acis veras, aizveras
Album: Spēlēju, dancoju
Year: 2002
Label: Upe Records / Latvia

A folk-rock opera based on the 1919 play by Latvian poet and author, Rainis. Named Best Contemporary Folk Music Album of 2002 by the Latvian Recording Industry, this music set the stage for 990 dancers at the 2005 Latvian School Youth Song and Dance Festival in Riga, as well as provided the score for an animated film in 2007.

The [Spēlēju dancoju] story itself is rather simple. Zemgus and Lelde are about to be married. A motley band of characters arrives at their wedding celebration, led by a blind man and Tots the musician. Suddenly Lelde is attacked and drained of blood, and is near death. Tots, being rather taken with the about-to-be-married Lelde, decides to go amongst the dead to find out what has happened and to help return Lelde back to life. He succeeds and brings her back, and the last step is for someone to give their blood to bring Lelde back to life. After his long, solitary struggle, Tots loses the girl to the other guy and is the one who has to give his blood and die. However, as the blind man tells him, he does get second prize, which is that his songs will live forever after he is gone. Small consolation!

The music and lyrics fit wonderfully with one another, and the final portion of the album, with Lelde returning to life and Tots realizing that his end is near, provide a tragically beautiful end to the whole affair. 

Ilgi - Acis Veras Aizveras


The originator of Lavian postfolk is in its prime.  In recent years Iļģi released three albums, toured the United States coast to coast, and played festivals at home and abroad.  In 2006 "Ne Uz Vienu Dienu" reached No. 2 on the World Music Charts Europe and remained a top ten album for four months.   When “Tur Saulīte Pērties Gāja” debuted at No. 4 on that same Chart in April 2012 the WMCE commented: “Celebrating their 31st anniversary, Ilgi reveal no sign of their longevity, at least musically speaking.”

History
Classically trained violinist Ilga Reizniece formed Iļģi in 1981.  Māris Muktupāvels soon joined her on kokle and bagpipes, and on travels throughout Soviet Latvia learning folk songs and traditions.  As Reizniece recalls, "We have always been interested in music as art, not just the folklore aspect of it.  There always has been a dual purpose of the group.  We had to fulfill our mission in preserving the Latvian heritage and return forgotten lore to the nation, but at the same time we really enjoyed just playing the music." 

The Band -
Over the years Iļģi's traditional style gave way to fuller instrumentation and bolder arrangements. Violin, kokle and bagpipes blend with guitars, electric bass and drums to create a simultaneously ancient and contemporary sound, developed over the years by band members with diverse musical backgrounds.  Gatis Gaujenieks, a New Yorker of Latvian descent, moved to Rīga and joined Iļģi in 1997 on electric bass and ģīga.  Rock guitarist Egons Kronbergs was recruited in 2001.  Percussionist Martins Linde completed the roster in 2008.

Performances -
Iļģi has toured in Latvia, Europe, the United States, Canada, Russia, Australia and China.  When Latvia joined the European Union Iļģi represented it in a celebration at the Brandenburg Gate.  World music festival performances include: Chicago, Madison, Lotus, Globalquerque, Trad-It, Posthof, Etnoplaneta, Rudolstadt, Suklegos, and Viljandi. Iļģi celebrated its 30th Anniversary in 2011 before a  sold-out audience at Palladium Rīga, and by performing in Malaysia for the first time, at the Rainforest World Music Festival. In 2012 the band performed at the Latvian Song and Dance Festival in Milwaukee and returned to the Chicago Old Town School of Music for a solo concert. In 2013 appearances are scheduled at the Latvian Song and Dance Festival in Rīga, throughout Latvia, as well as in Sweden, Germany and Lithuania.

Awards -
The Latvian recording industry awarded Iļģi Best Folk Album five times, most recently for "Tur saulīte pērties gāja."  Ilga Reizniece has received the Latvian Ministry of Culture's Grand Award in Folklore.

Reviews -
"Latvia's leading roots band, fronted by fiddler Ilga Reizniece's soft lead vocals, continues to gently evolve its sound of kokles (Baltic zither), pipes, frets, bass and drums" wrote Andrew Cronshaw, giving a fRoots' thumbs up for the 2009 "Īsākās Nakts Dziesmas." In World Music Central  TJ Nelson found the album "juicy with clever composition and deft instrumentation. . . stylish and energetic. . . smart and savvy."  In 2012 World Music Central’s Angel Romero described “Tur Saulīte Pērties Gāja” as “a lovely and mesmeric album” and Rootworld’s Lee Blackstone proclaimed “Iļģi may well have achieved post-folk perfection.”

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