A three-compact disc set containing all songs recorded by the Latvian-American trio Trīs no Pārdaugavas (Felikss Ērmanis, Mārtiņš Ērmanis and Vilnis Baumanis) is now available.

The set is called Reiz dziedāja and its release was supervised by Baumanis, the sole living member of the group. Mārtiņš Ērmanis died in 2000 and Felikss Ērmanis died in 2004.

The collection contains the debut album from 1970, Zilā jūriņā (1972), Dienu virpulī (1975), Mīkstās mēbelēs (1979) and No tālām robežām (1985), as well as six additional songs recorded in the early 1990s and originally released in 1992 on the cassettes Ar rozi un prievīti and Tēvzemei. In all, the set includes 70 songs.

The trio’s album of children’s songs, Circeņa kāzās (1974), was released on CD separately in 2004.

The group’s career lasted from the 1970s to the early 1990s, and was a popular draw in Latvian centers in the United States, Canada and Europe. Trīs no Pārdaugavas also gave a concert tour in Latvia in 1990, including a performance at the Mežaparks open air stage in Rīga.

The package includes a booklet with lyrics to all the songs, as well as notes about many of the songs, and a short essay by Baumanis.

The CD set may be ordered from Vilnis Baumanis, 15542 Ambiance Drive, North Potomac, MD 20878, or from Inga Priede, 935 Flintlock Road, Southport, CT 06890. For more information, e-mail tnpepasts@gmail.com.

To coincide with the its first major tour of Latvia in more than a decade, the Latvian-American group Čikāgas piecīši, led by founder Alberts Legzdiņš, has released a career-spanning “best of” collection called Zelts. The compact disc features 27 tracks, covering the band’s entire career, spanning a nearly five-decade career. The group’s other CD retrospective, Agrīnie gadi, released in 1996, focused mainly on early work.

The full track listing of the Zelts collection is:

1. Made in Latvia
2. Mēs puisēni jauni būdami
3. Kurzemnieki Viskonsīnā
4. Sapnis par Latgali
5. Ciema meita
6. Tautas skaitīšana
7. Sekss ir labs
8. Pēc 20 gadiem
9. Vecpiebalga
10. Turaidas Roze
11. No Lielupes tilta
12. Sanfrancisko – Rīga
13. Ziedojiet, ziedojiet!
14. Piektdienas vakars
15. Šūpuļdziesma
16. Man garšo alus
17. Līgo dziesma
18. Supermārketā
19. Kurpniekzeļļi
20. Sprīdītis Rīgā
21. Mister, Kurzemniek!
22. Ziemeļamerikas polka
23. Pazudušais dēls
24. Lai visa pasaule to redz
25. 1989. gads
26. Par mani, draudziņ, nebēdā
27. Vai debesīs būs Latvija?

The CD was released by the Latvian label Balss. The group’s tour of Latvia began Nov. 15 in Liepāja and ends Nov. 23 in Cēsis, and included a concert at the Arēna Rīga on Independence Day, Nov. 18.

For more on Čikāgas piecīši, visit the group’s Web site, www.cikagaspiecisi.com, its MySpace page or Legzdiņš’ site on the social network draugiem.lv.

Rīga-based rock band Detlef Zoo, fronted by former “Talantu Fabrika” singer Detlefs, is one of five acts competing for Best Baltic Act, which will be announced during the MTV Europe Music Awards 2008.

Fans have until Oct. 12 to vote for the Latvian band or one of its competitors, which include Happyendless and Jurga from Lithuania, as well as Kerli and Rulers of the Deep from Estonia. Whoever wins Best Baltic Act will go on to compete with other regional winners for the title “Europe’s Favorite.” The MTV Europe Music Awards 2008 is set Nov. 6 in Liverpool, England.

Votes are being taken at ema.mtvbaltic.com.

Detlefs, whose real name is Uldis Dirnēns, in 2004 rose as a solo act to the top of Latvia’s music charts with the catchy song “Četras sienas.” But then the band was brought to the forefront and the four members (Dirnēns, bass player Martins Millers, drummer Marks Ameriks and guitarist Kaspars Ansons) became known as Detlef Zoo.

Detlef Zoo has released two albums, Tu izliecies par sevi in 2005 and Skapī last year.

For more on the band, visit www.detlefzoo.lv.