SILVER SANCTUARY
საძირკველი ვერცხლისო
Out November 20, 2020 on Electric Cowbell Records
https://lnk.to/rmlGM6
For Press Enquires, Please Contact Tom Pryor: tom.pryor@gmail.com
Zedashe ensemble (ანსამბლი ზედაშე) is a polyphonic vocal choir and dance group from the nation of Georgia. Directed by Ketevan Mindorashvili, Zedashe is one of the few mixed (male and female) choirs in Georgia led by women. The ensemble was founded in the mid-1990s to preserve the polyphonic folk songs and chants, unique to Georgia, that were largely lost during the Communist era. These chants run through the heart of Georgia’s rich history, through Orthodox Christian liturgical services to the nation’s ancient pagan roots.
Zedashe’s ninth album, Silver Sanctuary, will be released in North America on Nov. 19th, 2020, on Electric Cowbell Records. The album brims over with 22 songs drawn from twelve different regions of Georgia. Ancient chants, ballads, wedding songs, work songs, medieval allegories, dance melodies, feast songs, instrumental melodies and more reflect decades of research and dedicated song collecting. While the choir’s powerhouse vocals and astute arrangements keep the music fresh for the 21st century.
“In Georgia, every song has a history behind it,” says Ketevan Mindorashvili. “All of them are true stories, in a way, because they tell us the story of our roots. On this record we ended up recording five wedding songs, which surprised me. I found myself drawn to the storylines of these songs, which are very dramatic and often depict love triangles, sometimes of real people. Some are hundreds of years old, but are the poetry is as vivid as any film or novel. I love ‘Kakhuri Maqruli’ for lines like: ‘Pearls falling from the sky’ and ‘Rose blooming in your cheeks’, for me this is very close to the poetry of Rumi.”
[Watch live version of track #2 from Silver Sanctuary below.]
“We all recorded several feast songs and allegoric songs that are performed at traditional Georgian supra feasts” Ketevan adds. “Georgians love to get together and feast. Good wine is at the heart of the feast — Georgia is where wine was invented 8,000 years ago — but a traditional supra also wouldn’t be complete without music, dancing, singing, poetry and toasting. Feats are where so many of our songs have been preserved, and, of course, they are a very good place to practice new songs, too.”
Silver Sanctuary is a fascinating window into one of the world’s oldest and most rooted musical cultures; offering a rare glimpse into the hearts and minds of ancient, pre-industrial traditions in the heart of the Caucuses.
About Zedashe
Zedashe Ensemble is a polyphonic vocal choir and dance group based in the eastern medieval fortress city of Sighnaghi, Caucasus Georgia. It is one of the few mixed (male and female) choirs in Georgia that is led by women. Directed by Ketevan Mindorashvili, the ensemble was founded in the mid-1990’s to sing polyphonic chants, unique to Georgia, that were largely lost during the Communist era. The complex three-part melodies date back to pre-Christian times and comprise music sung for the Orthodox liturgical services. Zedashe’s repertoire also includes folk songs, instrumental melodies and accompanying dances, which were collected from old publications and learned from village song-masters from around the many diverse regions of the country.
Zedashe’s initial inspiration drew from songs of Kiziqian region, where their hometown Sighnaghi is located. Over the years though they have expanded to also include song and dance traditions of the various regions in Georgia, including Rach’a-Lechkhumi, Guria, Kartli, and Abkhazia. They preserve the unique musical and dance techniques of each region, as well as a variety of instrumental traditions: panduri (Kakhetian lute), chonguri (Gurian lute), ch’iboni (goat-skin bagpipes), accordion, diplipito (drum), and doli (drum).
The group’s name is taken from the special earthenware jugs – zedashes – that were buried under the family home for the purpose of making wine. The wine made in zedashes was especially for the veneration of ancestors, and the tapping of the zedashe every year carried great ritual significance.
Besides numerous appearances throughout the Republic of Georgia, Zedashe has toured internationally with appearances at major festivals and universities in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Belgium, Latvia, and the United States. In addition to their performances, Zedashe often holds day- to week-long workshops, either connecting with specific local choirs or simply open to those interested in the Georgian culture. Keto and Zedeashe members also run a music and dance school out of Sighnaghi for kids and in 2013 saw the debut of the children’s choir on the album Intangible Pearls.
Zedashe’s initial inspiration drew from songs of Kiziqian region, where their hometown Sighnaghi is located. Over the years though they have expanded to also include song and dance traditions of the various regions in Georgia, including Rach’a-Lechkhumi, Guria, Kartli, and Abkhazia. They preserve the unique musical and dance techniques of each region, as well as a variety of instrumental traditions: panduri (Kakhetian lute), chonguri (Gurian lute), ch’iboni (goat-skin bagpipes), accordion, diplipito (drum), and doli (drum).
The group’s name is taken from the special earthenware jugs – zedashes – that were buried under the family home for the purpose of making wine. The wine made in zedashes was especially for the veneration of ancestors, and the tapping of the zedashe every year carried great ritual significance.
Zedashe has released eight full-length albums, toured across Georgia and internationally at various festivals and universities in the UK, Netherlands, Belgium, Latvia, and United States. In addition to their performances, Zedashe often holds day- to week-long workshops, either connecting with specific local choirs or simply open to those interested in the Georgian culture. In addition Zedashe members lead a music and dance school for children which they believe is crucial in their mission to help preserve and promote Georgian culture.
Ketevan Mindorashvili
director
Director of the Zedashe Ensemble, Ketevan was born in Sighnaghi and raised in a traditional singing family. Keto showed a gift for singing since childhood and continued to study music technique extensively in university. She devoted herself to preserving traditions on the brink of disappearance, and has become known as a singer and a teacher of Georgian folk music, particularly the fluid ornamentation of eastern folk songs. She has a deep knowledge of ancient church chant, and is a master of the panduri, the three-stringed lute from the eastern Georgian region of Kakheti. Keto has searched valleys and mountains for ancient polyphony, collecting folk songs and chants, as well as writing her own music within the tradition. Today she hosts students from all over the world in her native Sighnaghi and travels internationally leading tours of Zedashe and teaching workshops. She has appeared on all Zedashe recordings to date, and has participated in numerous tours to the United States, United Kingdom, and throughout Europe.
Tamila Sulhanishvili
voice, garmoni & panduri
Tamila began studying music at the Music College in Sighnaghi, continuing in Tbilisi to study piano at the Medea Phaniashvili Art Academy. She has chanted at St. George’s church in Sighnaghi since 1995, where she began working with Ketevan Mindorashvili, and is one of the founding members of the Zedashe Ensemble. Tamila has been featured on all of the Zedashe albums since the first recording in 1999 and has participated on Zedashe tours to the U.K. (2002), United States (2007, 2010, 2013), Netherlands (2008, 2011), and Latvia (2013). Tamila currently works as a piano teacher at the music school in Sighnaghi, and continues to chant at St. George’s church. She is an experienced workshop-leader, and sings mostly first voice in liturgical music.
Vano Chincharuli
doli drum & dance
Vano began studying dance at the Academy of Culture in Tbilisi after completing his army service on a submarine. He studied for six years at the Academy with such renowned teachers as Rezo Chanishvili, Tengiz Suxishvili, Ucha Dvalishvili, Ucha Kurashvili, and Phridon Sulaberidze. Phridon Sulaberidze was one of the master choreographers of the period and taught Vano many dances from the Kartli region directly out of the Academy’s archives. After completing his studies, Vano joined the Rustavi national folk ensemble. After joining Zedashe in 2007, Vano participated in tours to the United States (2007, 2010, 2013), to the Netherlands (2008, 2011), and to Latvia (2013). Vano currently teaches dance to students in the Zedashe folk school and to foreign students. He is an incredible drummer.
Irakle Kanchurashvili
voice & dance
Irakli Kanchurishvili is one of the first members of Zedashe, having joined as a dancer in 2006. Having studied with Vano Chincharauli since the age of five and raised in a family that practiced traditional folk singing and dancing, Irakli is a skilled dancer and now sings bass as well. He has toured with Zedashe to the United States (2007, 2010, 2013), to the Netherlands (2008, 2011), and to Latvia (2013). In addition to performing with the ensemble, Irakli teaches dancing workshops with fellow dancers Vano and Tekla, and is currently studying the ancient Georgian diplipito drum.
Teona Taralashvili
dance
Teona grew up in Sighnaghi in a family that had a well-preserved tradition of folk dancing. She began to dance with Zedashe in 2006 and has been a soloist with the ensemble since 2011, showing especial attention to differences between dance traditions among various regions throughout Georgia. Tekla has toured with Zedashe to the USA (2013) and to Latvia (2013). She completed her master’s degree in psychology and currently works in the folk school, teaching dance to the younger students and to foreign students.
Alexander Matiashvili
dance, voice, bagpipes & panduri
Having continued proudly in his grandfather’s footsteps, Alex is one of the first students of the Zedashe folk school. From the beginning he had a particular interest in studying folk instruments, and currently specializes in chonguri, panduri, and ch’iboni, as well as being a talented singer and dancer. Alex traveled to the mountains of Ach’ara in 2013 to study with master ch’iboni maker and player, Bichiko Diasamidze. Alex has participated in Zedashe’s tours to the United States (2013) and Latvia (2013), and has been featured on the two most recent albums (2013 and 2015) as first voice, second voice, bass, and instrumentalist. Alex grew up in Sighnaghi and is currently a university student in Tbilisi.
Valiko Janiashvili
dance, voice, bagpipes & panduri
Vali has studied in the Zedashe folk school since 2007, having joined the dance ensemble that same year. He traveled with Alex to study the ch’iboni bagpipes in the mountains of Ach’ara with Bichiko Diasamidze. Recently, Vali traveled with Tamila to Alvani to study Georgian accordion. In addition to ch’iboni and garmonium, Vali is a talented panduri and chonguri player. He went on his first tour with Zedashe in 2013 to Latvia, and recorded his first CD with Zedashe in 2015. Vali is currently a high school student in Sighnaghi.
Guliko-Ana Jabashvili
voice & dance
Guliko grew up in Sighnaghi and was one of the first students of the Zedashe school. She specializes in the highly ornamented Kakhetian style, a tricky style of Georgian song that requires particular skill. Guliko sings first voice, in addition to yodeling and dancing. She participated in the 2013 tour to Latvia, and recorded her first CD with Zedashe in 2015.
Mariam Korghanashvili
Bio coming soon
Tengiz Kakashvili
Bio coming soon