Perhaps one of the reasons the recently departed Latvian poet Imants Ziedonis was held in such high regard is that, even though his poetry was deep and thoughtful, it was often, at the same time, accessible and understandable.

It was not the head-scratching affair, opaque and oblique like some other poets – much of it was written in a language that the average reader could understand and relate to. In fact, Ziedonis had quite the knack for writing song lyrics – many songs featuring his words remain immensely popular. Something about his works lends itself to popular music. This has been reconfirmed many times – the most recent example being the Viegli album project, where various Latvian musicians wrote songs with the words of Ziedonis.

Recognizing this aspect of the poet’s appeal, the Latvian record company Micrec released the collection Dziesmiņas par prieku, a collection of songs all of which share a common thread – their lyrics are by Ziedonis.

The bulk of the songs on this collection are from the 1970s and 1980s, and feature Latvian stars and composers of that era. In fact, it seems like most every significant composer and artist from that era is represented here – composers such as Raimonds Pauls, Imants Kalniņš and Uldis Stabulnieks, and performers such as Viktors Lapčenoks, Nora Bumbiere, Ingus Pētersons, among many others.

It should be no surprise that most of the songs on this collection are by the most popular composer of that era (and still one of the most popular and influential composers today), Raimonds Pauls. Pauls, with a natural ability to write a catchy and memorable melody, used the lyrics of Ziedonis to compose what would become some of his most popular tunes. Songs like “Tāpēc jau, ka nevar zināt kāpēc” (performed by Edgars Liepiņš), “Nenes zvaigznes istabā” (performed by Ingus Pētersons), and “Meitene ar kallu ziediem” (performed by Credo)

One can also see how Ziedonis’ words were essential to the Latvian Reawakening in the 1980s, particularly in songs like “Tautas laiks” (music by Jānis Lūsēns, sung by Zigfrīds Muktupāvels), a memorable anthem from that era and a song that, even today, still gives me chills.

Ziedonis’ poetry also lends itself to choir music, and one such example is on this collection – “Mūžu mūžos būs dziesma” (composed by Valters Kaminskis) and performed by the Song Festival men’s choir. This song, with its basic truth “Mūžu mūžos būs dziesma, un mūžu mūžos alus smēķēs” (Song will live forever, and beer will always be tasty), has resonated with Song Festival audiences for decades now.

Granted, some of the lyrics here could be considered a bit trite. One example would be “Tā es tevi mīlēšu”, with music by Raimonds Pauls and performed by Nora Bumbiere and Viktors Lapčenoks, which is one of those songs that just about every Latvian knows (the chorus, at least), and is usually sung at loud volume after a few drinks. Still, though, the lyrics have given this song a universal appeal.

Packaging is minimal on this collection, though – there is only the list of songs and a photo of Ziedonis. It would have been interesting reading if the artists and composers had contributed some notes about what it was like working with and performing the poetry of Ziedonis. Or, at the very least, it could have provided some minimal biographical information, or perhaps when the songs were recorded. Still though, the most important aspect is the songs, and, in this aspect, the CD delivers admirably.

Dziesmiņas par prieku, besides being a tribute to the wordsmith Ziedonis is also a very detailed snapshot of Latvian popular music in the 1970s and 1980s. Ziedonis’ way with words was a natural fit for composers and performers, and his lyricism made for some memorable popular songs. Not that anyone really needs a reminder of what made Ziedonis’ poetry so exceptional, but this collection of songs, many of which are indelibly part of the national conscience, reconfirm Ziedonis’ place in the annals of Latvian poetry.

Owing to his star turn on the second season of the reality singing show Koru kari, singer Žoržs Siksna has been experiencing quite the career renaissance in the past few years.

One of Latvia’s biggest singing stars of the 1970s and 1980s, the crooner of such songs as ‘Muļķe sirds’ and ‘Valodzīte’ (both immortalized in the 1981 Latvian film Limuzīns Jāņu nakts krāsā), Siksna, like many other Latvian 80s stars, faded a bit after the renewal of Latvian independence. However, he, along with his ‘Jelgava Turquoise Choir’, was the breakout star of that season of Koru kari (though, in the end, they had to settle for 2nd place).

Siksna, like many singers in the 1980s, is indelibly associated with composer Raimonds Pauls. For that reason, with a nod to the past but still firmly in the present, Siksna released an album of new recordings of Raimonds Pauls songs entitled Mēs tikāmies…

Interestingly, Siksna’s repertoire on this CD does not include any of his best known songs, so if you are looking for ‘Ģenovēva’, for example, you will need to look elsewhere, as the songs here are lesser known Pauls songs. However, that is part of the allure of this collection, as it brings back some songs that might have been forgotten over the years.

The recordings are in a jazz/lounge style, which should come as no surprise considering the musicians involved in making the album. All the arrangements are by distinguished Latvian jazz drummer Māris Briežkalns (who also plays on the album), and Briežkalns is joined by well-known jazz pianist Viktors Ritovs, as well as Gints Pabērzs on saxophone, Lauris Amantovs on trombone, and Normunds Piesis on trumpet. Joining Siksna on backing vocals is the trio ‘Limonāde’, made up of Ieva Katkovska, Kristīne Tkačuka, and Iluta Valtere.

Siksna’s evocative and expressive singing style was one of the many reasons he rose (and rose again) to stardom in Latvia, and is on full display on Mēs tikāmies… – both tender and powerful, Siksna’s voice and vocal style is immediately recognizable, for example on the soaring vocal on the song ‘Zaldātiņš un balerīna’ (lyrics by Jānis Peters).

Briežkalns’ percussion provide the backbone for all the songs, particularly the rhythm on the first song on the CD, ‘Ziemas vakars’ (lyrics by Biruta Riemere), with Pabērzs also providing a memorable saxophone solo.

The song ‘Pie avota’ is actually a new Pauls song, with lyrics by Guntars Račs, composed in honor of Siksna’s 55th birthday. Here the trombone by Amantovs stands out, providing a soft yet rich sound to this delicate song.

The gentle ‘Annijas dziesma’, lyrics by Jānis Elsbergs, with its tender guitar, is one of the highlights of the album,

The only slightly negative thing I’d note is that perhaps there is a bit too much of the backing vocals. There is no doubting the beautiful voices of ‘Limonāde’, but at times the backing vocals are a bit much and slightly distracting.

The booklet for this CD is impressive. In a hardback case, the booklet is full of pictures and has an extensive biography of Siksna in both Latvian and English. Unfortunately, however, lyrics are not included. Also, considering that one of the main sponsors of this album is the Gulbene-Alūksne Narrow Gauge Railway, there is an extensive write-up, with many pictures, of this unique Latvian tourist attraction. In fact, the CD comes with a ticket for a journey on the ‘bānītis’.

The final song on the album – ‘Ripo tvaika bānītis’ is not actually a Raimonds Pauls song, but is composed by Edmunds Goldšteins. The song is performed with Siksna’s Turquoise Choir. The clarinet part, performed by Indriķis Veitners, gives the song an almost swing feel, making it a sound like a song you might have heard in a speakeasy during the Prohibition era.

Now that Siksna has had a resurgence of popularity, perhaps a Latvian record label will release a comprehensive collection of the original recordings of his best known songs – the closest we ever got was Vasaras vīns in 1995, which had a number of his popular favorites, but was still missing many. In fact, many of Siksna’s recordings have never been released on CD and this seems quite the oversight, considering that many 1970s and 80s stars have had their songs released on CDs.

Backed by some of the most talented jazz musicians in Latvia, Siksna shows that his voice is as strong as it was decades ago. Mēs tikāmies… and its lounge music/crooning style might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for those looking for something in a more retro style, or someone simply looking for a talented singer and musicians at the top of their form, look no further. Siksna has reasserted himself as one of the premiere singers in Latvia, singing, as he did more than thirty years ago, the songs of Raimonds Pauls. This romantic music, perhaps appropriate for a candlelit dinner, evokes a distant past – slightly sentimental, at times wistful, but a memorable recording.