Latvian-American folk ensemble Kolibri has released its first compact disc, a retrospective collection entitled Kolibri atskatās / Kolibri reminisces. The CD collects a selection of folk song arrangements from the ensemble’s 1979 debut album, as well as concert performances recorded at Latvian Radio in 1988, and some addition live performances from concerts in New York and Boston.

Kolibri, founded in 1976, featured a number of prominent Latvian-American musicians and composers, including Pēteris and Mārtiņš Aldiņš, Anita Kuprisa, Juris Broks, Laila and Lalita Saliņa, Līga Aldiņa, Laura Padega, Imants Mežaraups, Pēteris Ozols, Jānis Sils and Ruta Dambis-Ruice. The ensemble was later joined by Pamela Ambrose, Silvija Padeja and Andris Lēvenšteins. Arrangements of the songs on this CD are by both Aldiņš brothers, Kuprisa, Mežaraups, Laila Saliņa, as well as one arrangement by distinguished Latvian American conductor Andrejs Jansons.

The group took the name Kolibri, which is Latvian for hummingbird, so that it could give a “voice” to a bird that does not sing.

In addition to its 1979 vinyl album, Kolibri released three audio cassettes, Kolibri dzied un spēlē arī and Danco, danco, pagriezies, pagriezies! (both 1988) and Slava Dievam augstībā (1991). However, the group no longer actively performs.

The CD was presented Nov. 15 in a concert at the Rīga Latvian Society House, featuring guest performances by the vocal groups Putni and Putnu dārzs, composer Valts Pūce, as well as Kolibri member and composer Imants Mežaraups.

Tracks on Kolibri atskatās / Kolibri reminisces include (with their arrangers in parentheses):

1. Malni muni kumeleņi (Pēteris Aldiņš)
2. Zvirgzdienas rotāšana (Mārtiņš Aldiņš)
3. Kas dimd (Andrejs Jansons)
4. Māmiņa mīļā (Anita Kuprisa)
5. Šūpļa dziesma (Pēteris Aldiņš)
6. Tu māsiņa, es māsiņa (Imants Mežaraups)
7. Metenītis (Pēteris Aldiņš)
8. Darbs ira (Laila Saliņa, Pēteris Aldiņš, Mārtiņš Aldiņš)
9. Bērnu dziesmas (Pēteris Aldiņš)
10. Ģērbies, saule, sudrabota (Anita Kuprisa)
11. Pavasara ainas (Imants Mežaraups)
12. Putnu dzīšana (Mārtiņš Aldiņš)
13. Vedat mani dziedādami! (Anita Kuprisa)
14. Vadža dances (Mārtiņš Aldiņš)
15. Ganiņu līgošana (Pēteris Aldiņš)
16. Čigānu dziesma (Pēteris Aldiņš)
17. Ziemassvētku dziesmas (Pēteris Aldiņš)
18. Sidrabiņa lietiņš lija (Pēteris Aldiņš)
19. Sidrabiņa lietiņš lija (Anita Kuprisa)
20. Sidrabiņa lietiņš lija (Mārtiņš Aldiņš)

The CD was published by the SPEKTRS culture association.

It has been six years since the band Iedomu Spārni released its debut album, Dienasgrāmata. At the end of October the group released its second compact disc, Lidojums.

The band was formed in 2000 and now includes Ieva Zēģele (voice), Jānis Dreiškins (guitar), Viesturs Butāns (bass) and Jānis Kuršs (percussion).

Lidojums includes 10 tracks, all in Latvian. According to a press release announcing the new record, Iedomi Spārni invited a number of guest musicians to help on the album, including Gints Stankevičs (keyboards, tambourine, bass and guitar), Andris Šīrants (guitar and bass), Todd Sorensen (drums), Aldis Zaļūksnis (bass and drums) and Jānis Zvirgzdiņš (keyboards).

Among the tracks are two singles that have had plenty of airplay on Latvian radio stations: “Viss vienmēr būs tāpat” (a duet with Ivo Fomins) and “‘Vai tu nāc, vai tu ej.”

Released by Rīga-based recording company MICREC, tracks on the CD include:

1. Lidojums
2. Kas noticis?
3. Vai tu nāc, vai tu ej
4. Kā miglā
5. Meitene ar sapni
6. Viss vienmēr būs tāpat (piedalās Ivo Fomins)
7. Aiziet rītausmā
8. Nē, nē, nē
9. Palaid
10. Izrāde galā

More information about the band is available on its official Web site, www.iedomusparni.lv, as well as on its page found on the social networking site draugiem.lv.

The Liepāja-based poet Aina Uldriķe died last year. To honor her, the bookseller and publishing house Valters un Rapa has released Pēdējā stīga, a 98-page collection her work.

Uldriķe, known by the stage name Aina Zāģere, also was a singer and composer, according to the newspaper Kurzemes Vārds. She was born in 1935.

In a foreword to the book, according the publishing house, Olafs Gūtmanis wrote that the collection includes her lyrical and Christian poems. Includes are her dedications to her mother, her colleagues and her friends, as well her colleagues’ dedication to her.

Uldriķe published at least two collections of her work, Lirika in 2005 and her first, Sauc gaismu, in 2000. Critic Modris Zihmanis, commenting on Lirika, wrote the Uldriķe’s style was straightforward.