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

Noqua is a free spelling of the Adyghe word “НокIуэ". It is translated differently depending on the context. The main meaning is “she/he/they are coming”. It is also a set expression used in traditional chanting. When one vocalist finished a part of a song, he would pass the next verses to the others, accompanying the transition with a shout of “НокIуэ!” Alternately, people would pick up the lyrics and continued the song. So music was something unifying. An invitation to work together and share benefits and responsibilities. Today this moment of unification and mutual assistance, universal for all cultures, has become even more obvious and redemptive.

Usually by the end of the year everyone’s taking stock of it, but we’re going to do the opposite. This compilation is a groundwork for the future and an announcement of what we want to publish and develop in 2023. Here is music of different peoples living in the Caucasus or those who have been expelled from their homeland but want to return. The collection has no purpose to show all the diversity of the region - we can't do it yet. Noqua gathered only those with whom the label managed to work during various years in different conditions. These are the elderly who unfortunately are no longer alive, and the young people making their debut on Ored Recordings.
The compilation is also uncombed by other parameters: the recording of the Ossetian game on the streets of Vladikavkaz goes along with the home sessions of Abkhazians from Türkiye and the studio live of Karachays in the concert hall of the Nalchik Radio House.
Our unaltered message emerges from this random diversity: it is important to give voices and space to different people, approaches and ideas, and not try to find the one and only right solution.
At least in music.

Sound and mixing: Timur Kodzoko
Cover art: Milana Khalilova
Liner notes: Bulat Khalilov
Translation: Darina Tlish

______________________________________________________________

Noqua - вольное написание адыгского слова “НокIуэ”. Переводится по-разному в зависимости от контекста. Главное значение - (оно/она/он) идет. Также это устойчивая фраза при традиционном песнопении. Когда один вокалист заканчивал часть песни, он передавал последующие куплеты другим, сопровождая переход выкриком “НокIуэ!”. Поочередно люди подхватывали текст и продолжали песню. Так музыка была чем-то объединяющим. Приглашением к совместному делу и разделению благ и ответственности. Сегодня этот универсальный для всех культур момент объединения и взаимопомощи стал еще более очевидным и спасительным.

Обычно под конец года подводят итоги, но мы решили наоборот. Эта компиляция - задел на будущее и анонс того, что мы хотим издавать и развивать в 2023. Тут музыка разных народов живущих на Кавказе или тех, кто изгнан со своей Родины, но хочет вернуться. У сборника нет цели показать все разнообразие региона - нам пока это не под силу. Noqua собрал лишь тех, с кем лейблу удалось поработать в разные годы в разных условиях. Это и пожилые, которых, к сожалению, уже нет в живых, и молодежь, дебютирующая на Ored Recordings.
Компиляция непричесана и по другим параметрам: запись осетинского игрища на улицах Владикавказа идет вместе с домашними сессиями абхазов из Турции и студийным лайвом карачаевцев в концертном зале нальчикского Дома Радио.
Из этой случайной разношерстности вырисовывается наш неизменный посыл: важно давать голоса и пространство разным людям, подходам и идеям, а не пытаться найти единственное верное решение.
По крайней мере в музыке.



Запись и монтаж звука: Тимур Кодзоко
Обложка: Милана Халилова
Сопроводительный текст: Булат Халилов
Перевод на английский: Дарина Тлиш. 
credits
released December 30, 2022

Noqua - Ored Recordings Sampler for 2023

Уæхъæци зар (Ossetian)

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

Уæхъæци зар (Ossetian)

kavkazmusic

Related tracks