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BRISBANE GYPSIES STEAL AUSTRALIAN HEARTS
MZAZA – The Stolen Hearts Tour
World music fans rejoice as Mzaza (m-zAH-zuh) announces dates for early 2012. The new year sees the unusual and exotic group return for a number of dates on the East Coast and Tasmania.
The show will feature extended stopovers in traditional Balkan villages, bars where Turkish military brass musicians stop for a raki (aniseed drink), and towns where gypsy street bands capture your heart. The audience should expect to be treated to Mzaza’s distinctive yet subtle twist: French vocals on a Bulgarian rhythm served just after a traditional Spanish love song. The band’s new material promises to get the party started without leaving behind Mzaza’s attention to detail and love of soulful traditional music.
The six-piece’s unusual take on Mediterranean traditional sounds has been turning heads for a while locally, but it was the release of their latest album Journey Over Skin in 2011 which saw the band gain exposure around the country and overseas. The album earned Mzaza two high commendations in the Queensland Music Awards and has been receiving spins on national radio and on the Greek airwaves.
The band’s appearance at the National Folk Festival last year where they were celebrated as a stand out act motivated the group to tour a lot more in 2012 and share their sound far and wide.
Lead singer Maudy says “We are all very passionate about different musical traditions and it feels great to share that with people. We can’t wait to do it all over again. This time we have focused our show more on sounds from Eastern Europe and Turkey. We walk the fine line between celebrating traditional music and reinventing it."
French-Moroccan front woman Pauline Maudy sings in French, Spanish, Ladino and Turkish. She is known for her captivating on-stage energy. Pauline grew up in Paris listening to flamenco and dancing to North African pop music. She met her future Mzaza counterparts in Brisbane's West End and together they created Mzaza's special blend of sounds. The band’s outrageous multi-instrumentalists play violin, kamanche tarhu (a spike-fiddle of Persian ancestry), guitar, accordion, kaval and ney (Balkan and Turkish end blown flutes), double-bass, darabuka (Turkish hand percussion), cajon and bendir (frame drum).
Mzaza will take the Brisbane Powerhouse stage after playing a number of dates in Tasmania including appearances at Tamar Valley Folk Festival and Faux Mo (MOFO Festival Club) in Hobart. They will then perform at the Gold Coast's Basement Arts Centre on the 25th of February (more dates to be announced).
More on Mzaza: http://www.mzaza.com |
