Širom
The music of the Slovenian trio Širom sounds otherworldly, but is created in a very traditional way. Iztok Koren, Ana Kravanja and Samo Kutin play on often ancient (recreated) instruments, from drums with animal skins and copper bells to scratching strings. And with their wonderful and magical music, they connect the ancient worlds of the Byzantine and Roman Empires with the folk culture of the Balkans. But they also send their trance-like, buzzing ‘drones’ far beyond ancient music and to heavenly and experimental heights. The newly released album The Liquefied Throne of Simplicity sometimes sounds like the hypnotic and exotic ambient of trumpeter Jon Hassell, and is a perfect meditation record. We will know how it is live on Friday. (Robert van Gijssel)
Cloud Nine, TivoliVredenburg, Friday 11/11.
The Bug
Brit Kevin Martin aka The Bug is a grime and dub master, and a frequent guest on Le Guess Who. The rock-solid record was released last year fire, and that needs to be celebrated live at Le Guess. The record was a flaming political indictment of the politics that is currently throwing the world out of its clutches, in dark, but delicious dub and with striking lyrics by the vocalists invited by Martin. A few of them are at his side in Utrecht. Rapper Logan, featured on album fire the top track pressure performed, comes along, as does regular guest voice Logan. That is promising. (Robert van Gijssel)
Ronda, TivoliVredenburg, Sunday 13/11.
The Staples Jr. singers
One of the most beautiful tracks on the compilation that David Byrne’s Luaka Bop label put together three years ago with gospel music (The Time for Peace is Now) used to be We Got a Race To Run from The Staples Jr. singers. That band, which not only seemed named after the Staple Singers, but also sounded so beautifully soulful, every lover of gospel and soul wanted to know more. The song was released as a single in 1974, the band was from Aberdeen, Mississippi and they still sing, it turned out. This spring, Luaka Bop released their album When Do We Get Paid from 1975, which they sold from their garage at the time. Even better news: The Staples Jr. Singers are performing again and still sound astonishingly beautiful. (Gijsbert Room)
Janskerk, Friday 11/11.
Abdullah Ibrahim
South African jazz pianist Abdullah Ibrahim is 88 and his work is constantly being discovered by new generations of jazz lovers. In the 1960s he made music as Dollar Brand, since he converted to Islam in 1968, he has been releasing records under his new name Abdullah Ibrahim. His music played an important role in the struggle against apartheid. Most recent is the album solotude, that he recorded solo on his 86th birthday. The elegant keyboard touches in compositions in which influences from Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk are never far away, continue to retain a lot of expressiveness. (Gijsbert Room)
Grote Zaal, TivoliVredenburg, Sunday 13/11.