In its first foray into Eastern Europe, a Turkish hotel chain has announced plans to develop a 500-room hotel and convention center in the Latvian seaside resort of Jūrmala.

The Istanbul-based Dedeman Hotels & Resorts International expects to open the Resort Dedeman Jurmala in 2007, the company announced in a press release. The hotel is to include a casino, night club, spa, ice skating, tennis courts, two restaurants and a café.

The hotel also is to have a 1,000-person ballroom and a 100-person concert hall, which the company said will help position the property for convention tourism.

Dedeman began in Ankara, Turkey, in 1966. The company owns 16 hotels, three of them outside Turkey. The Jūrmala property is one of four new properties Dedeman is developing.

Jūrmala, a historical resort area on the Gulf of Rīga, is home to a number of hotels already, including properties such as the 165-room Baltic Beach Hotel, the 120-room Daina, the 40-room Eiropa Hotel, the 38-room Pegasa Pils, and the 16-room Villa Joma.

The popular group Labvēlīgais Tips, known for its comic and often satirical songs about life in Latvia, has released its eighth studio album and is heading to Ireland for a concert, the Rīga-based recording company MICREC said in a press release.

The album, Naukšēnu disko, includes 14 tracks, including two recent radio hits, “Pīrādziņ’ nāc ārā!” and “Laptops.” The compact disc is the group’s 10th overall when counting Šveika jaunās dēkas, a 1999 album of songs from the musical of the same name, and last year’s re-release of Alumīnija cūka, the band’s first record.

A CD release party is scheduled at 7:30 p.m. April 1 in the Temple Bar Music Centre in Dublin, Ireland. More than 20,000 Latvians now live in Ireland, the vast majority of them recent immigrants in search of work.

Songs on the album include:

1. Aizlidot līdz
2. Pīrādziņ’ nāc ārā!
3. Piektdiena, 13
4. Mazās Kalnu ielas samurajs
5. Saulgozis un privilēģija
6. Skopuļa serenāde
7. Tīram tīri
8. Mūsu limuzīns
9. Pavāru kuplejas
10. Trio no operas “Cosi Vandas Tante”
11. Laptops
12. Vecais gailis
13. Veikals “Jahtu aprīkojums”
14. Naukšēnu disko

The band, led by Andris Freidenfelds, plans a tour of Latvia after its return from Ireland.

The folklore group Vilki, known for its interpretations of Latvian war songs and the life of the warrior from ancient times through the World War II partisans, is coming to the United States for a 16-city tour in April and May.

Formed in 1992, the group is led by Edgars Lipors and includes eight men. However, only five will be on the U.S. tour, which will commence on April 19 in Seattle, Wash., and conclude May 15 in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Vilki, according to the ensemble’s Web site, traces its roots back to 1980 when a history teacher formed an interest group to examine soldiers’ songs. Twice disbanded, the group in 1987 was reformed as the ensemble Liepavots. In 1992, the group reorganized again and became Vilki.

The group draws its material from folk music collections and from its own efforts to collect the memories of soldiers who fought during World War I and II. In addition, group members have learned ancient crafts, such as making music instruments or clothes.

The group released its latest album, the compact disc Aši, aši zīle dzied, in 2002. Vilki began to gain wider popularity with the 2000 release of Dzelzīm dzimu, part of Upe Recording Co.‘s “Latvian Folk Music Collection.”

The U.S. tour will feature 90-minute concerts, according to Maija Zaeska of Minnesota, who is organizing the event. The first half of a concert will feature ancient warrior songs, while the second half will focus on the strēlnieki (the legendary Latvian riflemen of World War I) and the leģionāri (members of the Latvian Legion formed by the occupying German forces during World War II).

The concert tour is organized by the Latvian Welfare Association Daugavas Vanagi and the Cultural Society TILTS, with support from the Latvian government’s Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration.

Concerts are scheduled in:

• Washington at 7 p.m. April 19 in the Latvian Center, 11710 3rd Ave. N.E., Seattle. For further information contact Jānis Kramēns at +1 (425) 941-2753.
• Oregon at 2 p.m. April 21 in the Oregon Latvian Center, 5500 Dosch Road S.W., Portland. For further information contact Dace Garuta at +1 (503) 259-9557.
• California at 1 p.m. April 23 in the Latvian Community Center
  1955 Riverside Drive, Los Angeles. For further information, contact Teodors Lilienšteins at +1 (323) 463-1362.
• Colorado at 7 p.m. April 25 in the Latvian Culture Center of Colorado
  10705 W. Virginia Ave., Lakewood. For further information, contact Aleks Humeyumptewa at +1 (303) 733-9495.
• Minnesota at 7 p.m. April 27 in the Latvian House, 2337 Central Ave. N.E., Minneapolis. For further information, contact Maija Zaeska at +1 (763) 972-2521.
• Wisconsin, at 7 p.m. April 28 in the Latvian House of Milwaukee, 8845 W. Lynx Ave., Milwaukee. For further information, contact Sandra Medne, +1 (414) 963-8623.
• Illinois at 7 p.m. April 29 in the Latvian House, 4146 N. Elston Ave., Chicago. For further information, contact Armands Birkēns, +1 (773) 282-6510.
• Michigan at 12:30 p.m. April 30 in the Kalamazoo Latvian Hall, 100 Cherry Hill Drive, Kalamazoo. For further information, contact Malda Pūtele, +1 (269) 353-8320.
• Indiana at 7 p.m. May 2 in the Latvian Community Center, 1008 W. 64th St., Indianapolis. For further information, contact Eižens Lemke, +1 (317) 409-5825.
• Ohio at 7 p.m. May 3 in the United Latvian Ev. Lutheran Church of Cleveland, 1385 Andrews Ave., Lakewood. For further information, contact Olģerts Kubuliņš,  +1 (216) 676-9166.
• Massachusetts at 7 p.m. May 5 in Latvian Ev.-Lutheran “Trimda” Church of Boston, 58 Irving St., Brookline. For further information, contact Vija Lince, +1 (781) 762-1741.
• New York at 7 p.m. May 6 in the New York Latvian Ev.-Lutheran Church, 254 Valentine Lane, Yonkers. For further information, contact Jānis Riekstiņš at +1 (516) 674-8802.
• New Jersey at 2 p.m. May 7 in the Latvian center Priedaine, 1017 Highway 33 East, Freehold. For further information, contact Jānis Students at +1 (732) 836-9750.
• Pennsylvania at 1 p.m. May 10 in the Latvian Society of Philadelphia, 531 North 7th St., Philadelphia. For further information, contact Maija Medne at +1 (856) 227-2520.
• Maryland and the District of Columbia area at 8 p.m. May 13 in the Latvian Ev.-Lutheran Church of Washington, D.C., 400 Hurley Ave., Rockville. For further information, contact Ilmārs Dambergs, +1 (301) 424-8217.
• Florida at 5 p.m. May 15 in the Latvian American Center, 1705 9th Ave. N., St. Petersburg. For further information, contact Andris Ritums, +1 (727) 797-1933.

More information about the folklore group Vilki may be found on the ensemble’s Web site, home.parks.lv/vilki.