Female artists compose new songs with Aspazija’s poetry on “Pretējības”

Egils Kaljo | 

In honor of Latvian poet Aspazija’s 150th birthday in 2015, a project to compose new songs with her poetry was initiated by the University of Latvia radio station Naba. The result, a collection of fifteen songs performed by women and groups led by women is called Pretējības, and was published by NABA Music/Melo Records.

Gathering a wide variety of female artists, the eclectic collection features performers like Sus Dungo, Alise Joste, Zāle, among many others. The album art is provided by Alisa Ādamsone.

Radio Naba was founded in 2002 at the University of Latvia as a free format radio station, and can also be streamed online.

For further information, please visit the Radio Naba website.

 

Track listing:

  1. Dana Indāne – Pabērtas sēkliņas
  2. Zāle – Nemiera bērns
  3. Alise Joste feat. Čipsis un Dullais – Gar paradīzes maliņu
  4. Jauno Jāņu Orķestris – Odziņa
  5. Evija Vēbere feat. Aurora – Tāltālu aiz laika
  6. Kuzucuk – Das jüngste Gericht
  7. Biezoknis – Dzelzceļa vilciens naktī
  8. Waterflower (Sabīne Moore) – Nervu koks
  9. UP – Princese
  10. Anna Pluto – Aspazijas sapnis
  11. Sus Dungo – Rembranta gaismā
  12. Stūrī zēvele – Visaugstāko!
  13. Nebijušā restauratori – Pēc tūkstots gadiem
  14. Amorālā pshihoze – Aizgāja
  15. Helēna Kozlova – Viens vienīgs vārds

Egils Kaljo is an American-born Latvian from the New York area . Kaljo began listening to Latvian music as soon as he was able to put a record on a record player, and still has old Bellacord 78 rpm records lying around somewhere.

Viegli Fund third CD again features songs with lyrics by Ziedonis

Egils Kaljo | 

The Viegli Fund, a charitable organization that, according to its website, has as one of its main goals “realizing the ideas and continuing the values of Imants Ziedonis” (famed Latvian poet that died in 2013), has released the third CD in the Viegli series – Loks paliek vaļā. This CD, continuing in the tradition of 2013’s Vakars. Pietura. Jasmīns and 2011’s Viegli, features songs with lyrics by Ziedonis performed by many well-known Latvian artists.

Many notable Latvian musicians perform on the album, including Renārs Kaupers from Prāta Vētra, Jānis Holšteins-Upmanis (better known as Goran Gora), Māra Upmane-Holšteine from Astro-n-out, singer/songwriter Kārlis Kazāks, composer Raimonds Tiguls, kokle player Laima Jansone, and many others.

The fund has begun accepting submissions for the 2016 Laiks Ziedonim award, which, according to the website, are awarded in five categories – science, local history, children and youth, economics and literature. Applications are due by February 26.

For further information, please visit the Viegli Fund website and the Laiks Ziedonim website.

 

Track listing:

  1. Kukainītis
  2. Nekā jau nepietrūkst
  3. Amsterdama
  4. Nekaunība
  5. Arī saule netiek atpakaļ
  6. Sega
  7. Mazā dziesma
  8. Kaijiņa
  9. Zvaigznes
  10. Augusta debesīs
  11. Viss skaidri redzams
  12. Viegli

Egils Kaljo is an American-born Latvian from the New York area . Kaljo began listening to Latvian music as soon as he was able to put a record on a record player, and still has old Bellacord 78 rpm records lying around somewhere.

2 Euro circulation “stork” commemorative coin

Egils Kaljo | 

The Bank of Latvia has released the latest special 2 Euro circulation commemorative coin, this time with an image of a stork.

According to the Bank of Latvia website, 2015 is the 30th anniversary of the Latvian Ornithological Society, and Latvia is the nation where almost 5% of the total global white stork nestlings are born.

The design also recalls the 2001 1 Lats commemorative coin, which was the first special 1 Lats coin and also featured the stork.

The stork design is by Olga Šilova, and the coin was minted by UAB Lietuvos monetu kalykla (Lithuania) and has a mintage of one million.

For further information, please visit the Bank of Latvia website.

Egils Kaljo is an American-born Latvian from the New York area . Kaljo began listening to Latvian music as soon as he was able to put a record on a record player, and still has old Bellacord 78 rpm records lying around somewhere.