The recent fusion of two groups with youthful Australian Latvian musical talent has resulted in a new sound: Zigrīdas kalpi.

First there was Zigrīda ansamblis, a female kokle ensemble from Brisbane with a fresh approach to the ancient Latvian zither. A few years later in 2006 a group of Aussie-Latvian guys started creating their own original sound in Adelaide and the result was Kalna kalpi.

Says group member Tija Lodiņa of the synergy of the new configuration: “Zigrīda and Kalna kalpi play quite different music. KK have a very traditional, almost a pagan-meets-karavīru-dziesmas, whereas Zigrīda is more post-folk with world music influences. I think that what we bring to the table as individuals is amplified exponentially when we are together—we bounce ideas off each other, take small ideas and run with them until they become something big. And what keeps us going is a shared passion for creating music that we enjoy listening to.”

Zigrīdas kalpi’s first public performance came during the 52nd Latvian Arts Festival (Austrālijas latviešu Kultūras dienas) in Sydney at the end of December, a concert that was well received by the audience. Plans for the group include a performance at the National Folk Festival in Canberra from April 9-13. The festival is also scheduled to be the venue for the release of the combined group’s first compact disc.

Regarding other plans, Lodiņa continues: “We are all excited about the future, but are also realistic about what we can achieve with the restrictions we have, like day jobs, tertiary study and the fact that we live in different states. All of us feel that Zigrīdas kalpi is something really special to be a part of right now. If other opportunities present themselves we will definitely look at them as a group. If nothing else comes up, the ride—already—has been more than worth it.”

More information about Zigrīda ansamblis is available on the band’s Web site, while some details about Kalni kalpi may be found on the group’s MySpace page.

Rock group Crowd, which is scheduled to release its second album this spring, is offering fans two more songs as free digital downloads. The tracks “Dod tēvs” and “Aizej prom” are available on the band’s Web site, www.crowd.lv.

The two songs are about a person who for various reasons is in trouble, band member Kaspars Čakste said in a Jan. 22 press release. Taken together, the two songs tell how the person considers their options.

Two other tracks destined for the new album, “Sniegs” and “Īa Nēi,” previously became available on the site.

The band released its debut album, Jūtu evolūcija, in 2005. The entire album also can be downloaded from the Web site.

Band members include Jana Čakste (voice, tambourine and flute), Kaspars Čakste (guitar), Edgars Bindulis (guitar) and Artūrs Ļubļinskis (bass). Crowd was formed in 1998.

The 2008 nominees for the Latvian Music Recording Award (Latvijas Mūzikas Ierakstu Gada Balva) have been announced by the Latvian Music Producers Association, and ex-president Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga is among them.

Vīķe-Freiberga’s album Vairas dziemsas is up for the best folk album award, contending against four other records.

The biggest competition this year, the producers association said in a Jan. 8 press release, will be in the best pop album category, where some of the biggest names are nominated. Best pop album nominees are Linda Leen for Chameleon, Intars Busulis for KINO, Igo for Spēle, Cosmos for Turbulence and Prāta vētra for Tur kaut kam ir jābūt.

This is the 13th year that the Latvian Music Recording Award program is being organized. Winners will be announced during a live television broadcast Feb. 24.

Best rock album nominees are Z-Scars for Tieši sirdī, Detlef Zoo for If It Makes Us Happy, Dons for Lelle, Leģions for Nekad nesaki nekad and Ēnas for Ēnas.

Song of the year nominees are Linda Leen for “Chameleon,” Cosmos for “Tu kā, es kā,” Intars Busulis for “Brīvdiena,” Dzelzs vilks for “Uijā uijā nikni vilki” and Prāta vētra for “Ja tikai uz mani tu paskatītos.”

Best folk music album nominees are Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga and other for Vairas dziesmas, Dzelzs vilks for Uijā uijā nikni vilki, the Latvian Radio Choir for Skaisti dziedi,
Vilkači for Ko kundziņi, and Jānis Kurševs and Iveta Romancāne for Vilnis Salaks: Latviešu tautas dziesmu apdares.

Best academic music album nominees are the State Academic Choir Latvija for No Baltijas krasta, the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra for Romualds Kalsons: Instrumentālie koncerti,
the Rīga Dome Boys Choir and Collegium Musicum Rīga for J.S.Bach: Choral Motets & Organ Compositions, Dzintra Erliha for Zvaigznes skatiens and Shady Brass Q for Latvian Composers.

Best instrumental, theater or film music album nominees are Juris Kulakovs and others for Ētera odējs, Artis Gāga for Tumša nakte, zaļa zāle, Gunārs Rozenbergs and the Mirage Jazz Orchestra for My Favourite Things, Imants Ziedonis and Raimonds Tiguls for Epifānijas, and Ingus Ulmanis, Rūta Muktupāvela and others for Čuņčiņa dienas un nakts grāmata.

Best alternative music album nominees are Imants Daksis for Tu esi dziļa, EXIT for Ticket to Paradise, Jana Hermann for Disco Discovert, Lidojošais paklājs for Lidojošais paklājs and The Briefing for Funny Thoughts.

Best children’s album nominees are Aisha, Niks Matvejevs and Knīpas un knauķi for Pifa piedzīvojumi, the Rīga Dome Choir School’s Girls Choir and Instrumental Group for Gribas drusku pablēņoties, Inese Kučinska and others for Kaspars Vecvagars: Diegabundža, and various artists for Lāčuka dziesmas 2.

Best dance music album nominees are Roberts Lejasmeijers for Restaurācija, Brīvdiena for Mākoņi baltie, Forte for Laika upe and Ella for Welcome to the Club.

Best schlager album nominees are Normunds Rutulis for Vēlreiz mājās, various artists for 11 stāsti par laimi, various artists for Mana dziesma Latvijai, Baltie lāči for Līdz rudenim and Guntis Skrastiņš and No 1/2 vārda for Ķeizarkroņi.

Best country album nominees are Aldis Rullis and Emburgas zēni for Pavasara logs, Klaidonis for Labāko dziesmu izlase and Sestā jūdze for Kalendārs.

Best music video nominees are Detlef Zoo for “So Cold,” Detlef Zoo for “Love Town,” 
Prāta vētra for “Ja tikai uz mani tu paskatītos,” Jana Hermann for “Revolution” and Ella for “Shine Like a Superstar.”

Best concert video nominees are Raimonds Pauls and Latvia’s youth choirs for Raimonds Pauls: Dziedāšanas svētki ‘08, Various artists for Liepājas dzintars, Prāta vētra for Tur kaut kam ir jābūt koncerts Mežaparkā, and Mikus Roze, Arta Kaņķele and Knīpas un knauķi for Reiz bija…

Debut of the year nominees are Āķis (Kaspars Jansons) for the album Lūpā, Shady Brass Q for the album Latvian Composers, Dzintra Erliha for the album Zvaigznes skatiens, Jana Hermann for the album Disco Discovert, and Rihards Zaļupe and others for the album Marimba Dance.

Also to be awarded is the top radio hit of 2008 and the lifetime achievement honor.

For more on the competition, and to see past winners, visit www.gadabalva.lv.