I just got my notification of the line-up for one of my favorite festivals. It takes place 50 kilometers outside Barcelona, in the small city of Manresa. The 20th Fira Mediterrània de Manresa will take place October 5-8 of this year, and if you are planning a trip to Spain, don’t miss this experience. You can even combine it with a visit to the amazing Abbey of Montserrat, hewn into the cliff that overlooks the city. For just a few days each year the town becomes a whirlwind of music, theater, dance and street performance. Combine that with plenty of excellent local food and wine and what more could you ask?
In line with my previous videos regarding folk and classical musicians who are integrating music technology into traditional forms, I present one of the acts I caught at the Fira two years ago.
Redi Hasa and Maria Mazzotta played a late set at the Fira at the intimate venue El Sielu, and this song really won me over. It’s an original, entitled “Del Cielo E Della Terra” (of Heaven and Earth) and it is one winsome song. It is on their album URA,(Finisterre FT62, 2015).
Hasa is yet another of the string players I have noticed in the “world music” community who is using a loop and other tech toys to enrich his arranging and improvisational possibilities. While the song is lyrical in a very Italian way, Hasa’s solo takes it right into the Balkans, rhythmically, harmonically and melodically.
It is also obvious that Redi Hasa and Maria Mazzotta have both worked closely on integrating her vocals with his multi layered playing. And if you ask yourself why an Italian and an Albanian would get together, don’t forget that Albania is right across the Adriatic sea from Italy, and Italian is the secondary language spoken there.
Apologies up front for the red cast of the video…It seems that red is a favorite light motif in clubs!
This festival looks like it is really something to catch! So many great artists playing in interesting and beautiful venues.