A concert scheduled the evening of Feb. 25 in Rīga reminded me of a recently released album, Borsh, which is a collaboration between the folk-rock band Dzelzs vilks and the “modern traditional” Jewish group Forshpil.

Dzelzs vilks dates from the year of Latvia’s renewed independence, 1991. It started as a metal band, but then migrated to alternative and finally folk rock. Fronted by Juris Kaukulis, Dzelzs vilks has kept busy with concerts and recording albums. The band’s 10th album, Dzelzs Vilka Teātris was released last year.

Forshpil has been around just since 2003 and performs either as a duo or as a four-piece band. The group presents, in Yiddish, the music of the Ashkenazi Jews, but with a modern twist, combining such elements as klezmer and jazz.

Released in November on the Pasaules mūzika label, Borsh includes nine tracks that make for an interesting mix of sounds, including the vocals of Forshpil singer Aleksandra Lurje.

Besides Kaukulis, who performs vocals, the mandolin and the guitar, Dzelzs vilks on Borsh includes Kaspars Tobis on keyboards, Mārcis Judzis on percussion,  and Valērijs Cīrulis on vocals and bass. And besides Lurje, Forshpil has Iļja Šneiveiss on accordeon and reed pipe, Inna Raihmane on violin and Artjoms Vesna on percussion.

For a taste of the bands’ collaboration, watch the YouTube video of them performing “Dieviņš brauca.”

Borsh is a collaboration between the bands Dzelzs vilks and Forshpil.

A real-life unsolved murder in a northeastern Latvian town is the inspiration for a new mystery novel by Ottawa-based writer Ilze Berzins. The book, Aluksne, is due to be published March 22, Berzins told Latvians Online in an e-mail.

The story, she said, spans three generations beginning around World War I and continuing to the 1990s. It involves a man named Ernests Eglītis who assumes ownership of the most prominent house on a street in Alūksne. The historic house once belonged to a noted tile stove setter and potter.

“As work commences in the former pottery, which is still outfitted with ancient kilns, disturbing evidence of foul play is discovered,” Berzins said. “Before long Eglītis is entangled in murders and intrigues which span generations.”

Aluksne will be the author’s ninth mystery novel. Her first, Death in the Glebe, was published in 1999. That book followed her 1997 autobiographical story Happy Girl, which was about her attempt to repatriate to Latvia. Berzins also recently published a book about her late mother, Portrait of a Latvian Beauty.

The 327-page book will be published by Albert Street Press. The cost is CAD 30 plus CAD 5 for postage for Canadian customers, or USD 30 plus USD 5 for postage for U.S. customers. The book may be ordered through Berzins’ Web site, www.ilzeberzins.com

Berzins also recently unveiled a redesign of her Web site. It now includes a blog focusing on the time she spent in the 1960s as an art student in Paris.

Ilze Berzins’ latest novel, Aluksne, is a mystery spanning three generations.