Abazino-Adyghe tunes

Umar Abidet ve Kaffaeher

These Circassian songs were composed by the Queen of Pshina: Abeeda Womar!
I have recorded, rearranged and produced this amazing song, and played it live in Jarash festival (2022), in participation with Al Jeel Al Jadeed

Abeeda Fusion

Abeeda Fusion | Jarash 2022

We have been dreaming and even planning to go on an expedition to the regions of Georgia since 2018. The label was interested in the neighboring Caucasus region, which was isolated from the Russian part of it informationally, administratively, and politically. Traditional music situation in the country was no less interesting: polyphony became a tourist brand for Georgia which was supported in every possible way at the domestic and official levels. Usually, in such cases, the real situation differs from the showcase. We wanted to check all that out.

It happened so that the expedition started to formate only in 2022 when the major part of the label moved to Georgia for an indefinite time, and the first point of the destination was Pankisi Gorge.

In Pankisi, Kistins mainly live. Some researchers attribute the Kistins to a separate ethnographic group of Chechens. But most locals perceive themselves as Chechens without separating from their historical homeland. Kistintsy or kists is an exonym that Georgians used to call all Chechens in the past. However, all these are conclusions after the very first acquaintance and we need to immerse ourselves more in the local context to make statements.

It is symbolic for Ored that acquaintance with Georgia began with Chechens from Pankisi since we are very familiar with the national minority problems in the nation-state.

This contact happened thanks to Ben Wheeler, an ethnographer, and co-founder of the Mountain of Tongues label who has been working with local Chechens for years, recording them and supporting various cultural initiatives.

In September, the Tbilisi Museum of Photography and Multimedia invited Ben to work on the audiovisual project Sounds of the Valley, dedicated to the life and culture of Pankisi. Ben invited us to join him.

There is a difficult and interesting situation with music in the region. Chechens in Pankisi profess Sunni Islam. Some of them perform religious music during dhikr and do not perceive spiritual chants as music in the secular sense. There are also some Muslims who regard music as an undesirable activity at all. On the other hand, the state in Georgia supports mainly Georgian polyphony, and the music of other peoples of the country remains unrepresented.

Therefore the status of traditional musicians in Pankisi is complicated.

Despite all of these difficulties, there are several active ensembles and performers in the Pankisi Gorge.

One of the most notable among them is the Pankisi Ensemble, which we worked with and recorded during the first expedition.

The ensemble was founded by Bela Mutoshvili, a Tushi, who married a Chechen in her youth and moved to the village of Jokolo. Bella has been playing the accordion since childhood performing Tushin melodies and songs. Later she became a professional folklorist and music teacher. Mutoshvili became so immersed in the Chechen culture that she went on expeditions to Pankisi, brought archival recordings of Vainakh music from Chechnya, and studied with local children and youth.

Pankisi Ensemble began as an amateur ensemble based on enthusiasm and working with culture despite the circumstances. Later, the local administration supported Bella and her ensemble but the support was insufficient and formal.

Pankisi Ensemble - Music of Kists, Chechens of Georgia

Soplis Boloshi (Kakheti)

Disclaimer: We are releasing this album to show our support for our friends and some of the key figures behind Jrpjej's distinctive sound - Diana Kulova and Alan Sheudzhen. Everything is going well for them - they recently welcomed a beautiful daughter. With this release, we want to share in their joy and celebrate the years of collaboration, the countless miles traveled, and the heaps of inappropriate humor (coming from us). Below, we've provided Diana and Alan's contact details - feel free to send them your best wishes.

Back in 2021, when the coronavirus pandemic lseemed like the worst nightmare, casting a shadow over life, Ored Recordings, alongside Jrpjej and Zaur Nagoev, embarked on their inaugural international tour to the Netherlands.

Today, we look back on that period as one of the brightest chapters in the label's and the band's history - a time of voyages, strolls, responsive audience, and the genuine delight of provincial Circassians who ventured on an actual European tour.

Yet, reminiscing about all the meticulous groundwork with documents and logistics, it wasn't the simplest of journeys.

More:https://oredrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/katzwijm-sessions

08 Nabgiş Zefakue

Nalmes Pshinawaxer P2

Абзагу, Радица, Сарида - Цвижба - Абхазское Попурри

chechen lyric tunes

Alan Shawdjan is a Circassian repatriate from Syria, a descendant of mukhagirs, who had to move from Caucasus during the Russian-Caucassian war in 19 century. The outcome of the war tragic for Circassians, it spilled them all over the world and shattered the whole nation. But everything turned out wi to be interesting results in culture: dissimilar dialekts and styles appeared in the most diasporas.
Globalization reaches them ,too. That is why Turkish, Jordan and Syrian Circassians often copy the manner of variety musicians from Caucasus (more often Kabardinian)

Circassians in the diaspora often romanticize their historical homeland and some perceive their sound as “wrong” and non-authentic. Sometimes the transition to pop style occurs unconsciously.
Therefore, it is important for us that Alan plays exactly in the Syrian style. Yes, he also fell under the influence of fashion and can play the standard “kavkaz”, but this is not about patterns, but diversity.
The Circassians of Syria were kept apart from the Arab musical tradition: few people use oud or daf - only some exceptions. Most of the tunes are not Arabic, but Circassian. But oriental melody is heard in all the “original” material. If Circassian music for harmony and accordion from other regions is primarily accompaniment to a song or dance, while the “Syrians” play all the melodies meditatively. Perhaps this is more music for listening than for folk parties. Here you can draw analogies with maquam music of the East, but so far these are our superficial impressions.
Alan’s approach is also interesting. He is not an old man who preserves traditions, but a young enthusiastic musician playing for pleasure. He heard most of the tunes during the traditional parties, but more often from the playlist on the phone. He just listened and played. Shawdjan did not go into the context of Circassian music, he is not even sure about the names of the melodies (that is why they were published by untitled tracks). However, he knows a lot of material and easily improvises in the traditional framework.
We recorded Alan at Timur Kodzoko’s home, in a room with terrible acoustics, but an amazing atmosphere.

Alan Shawdjan - accordion
Beabars Appesh - vocals and percussion

Sound recording: Timur Kodzoko
Cover photo: Mitya Lyalin
Cover art: Milana Khalilova
Notes: Bulat Khalilov
Recorded in Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia,
04.2020

Soplis Boloshi (Kakheti)

kavkazmusic

Related tracks