Wednesday 5 December 2012

Krasa


KRASA ~ a name made from the Slavic roots of words for beautiful, the colour red, delight, fiery, alive, dazzling... (and which possibly ever so slightly brings to mind a certain anarcho-punk band?!). 
This is the new little trio that I'm playing in (and our business card, which I've just designed). You might find us these days on Devon street corners in red outfits busking for coins in the cold December sun. We'll be performing alongside esteemed musical comrades at the Feast of Fools, of course, but you can come and see us play for free next Thursday December 13th at the Sandy Park Inn, from 7.30pm. 

Here we are playing at a party last week... we all look rather serious and engrossed in getting the notes right, and there are people talking in the background (about accordions and morris minors and drinking too much, amongst other things!), but it gives you a taste.
These are two Klezmer tunes: Freilechs noch der KhupePapirossen.
Lisa Rowe is on fiddle, Tim Heming is on clarinet and bass, and that's me on accordion. Thanks to Pete Montanez for the video.
I'm still battling the excruciating performance nerves; it's a strange combination of wholeheartedly loving and wanting to play this music and simultaneously finding doing it in front of people terrifying. Strangely this is only when it's an "official" gig - I feel quite at home playing round a fire and thoroughly enjoy busking; perhaps I shall always remain a vagabond. But I forge on through the fear nonetheless, so come along to the pub and cheer us on if you're free next Thursday and live nearby.


22 comments:

Anita said...

☆¸¸.•♥.love.♥..•*¨*★ ☆.love☆¸¸Ohh boy am i happy to watch this!!!!Mmmmm..soo great!!wow.i came over your website a time ago..i thought you were pausing..however..i wanted to read you.and saved you.and now your BACK :))))Thanx however you are you do a great job☆¸¸.•♥.love.♥..•*¨*★

Charlotte said...

More, more, encore...
You are the perfect accompaniment to an in progress painting of the Fox, the Hare and the Rooster.
Thanks for sharing such a lovely evening of music with us.

Jess said...

Lovely music Rima! I hope one day to be able to hear it in the flesh. :) The woman talking in the background is making me smile, I wonder if she knows she's in this video? :)
Jess x

Suz said...

oh delightful
how could one keep from getting up and dancing?
Love the word krasa..is it your invention?

Heather said...

Very evocative music Rima - glad you get to play in warm surroundings sometimes. I wouldn't fancy busking at this time of year. Good luck with your
musical engagements.

35jupe said...

That is fun! And I get performance nerves when I sing. (I don't do it much any longer, but esp. back in the day.) They'd go away after the first song, but for the first song they're tough.

Give yourself a bit more time in front of that sort of audience to get settled with it, is my advice, though I realize you'd not asked for it. Your group is wonderful. :)

gz said...

beautiful music- just remember you are creating, just as much as when you draw and paint-the nerves will be less when you think of the enjoyment you give and take from it.

Vicki said...

Oh! This is wonderful Rima! And so evocative - calling to my ancient european heritage.
Thank you so much, I wish I could be there, but am sooo far away, across the oceans.
What a wonderful atmosphere you three create. Here's to seeing more Krasa in the future! ♥

Acornmoon said...

Rima, you are one very talented lady!

Sylvia Linsteadt said...

Lovely to see/hear your wonderful, evocative playing after seeing so many beautifully-odd musicians in your work. It seems you fully inhabit all of your art, which is really such a profound thing! xo, S

Valerianna said...

Wonderful... Going from painting alone or with a dog and a friend in a studio is so very different from performing. Teaching is the thing that, for me, has eased performing music out and speaking in front of hoardes of people. But you sound beautiful... hope your terror eases the more you play out!

Unknown said...

Oh, Rima! This was very fine indeed! Just the thing to rouse my weary soul and bear me up as I write on into the bitter watches of the night. Thank you! xox, Ari

Nanita said...

Oh, I do wish I lived nearby indeed! I absolutely love Balkan/Klezmer music. I wonder if you have ever seen anything by Emir Kusturica? Enchanting movies and wonderful music by The No Smoking Orchestra and Goran Bregovic. If you haven't yet discovered this film maker, I promess you you will be enchanted, by imagerie and music! :-) xxxx

Ronnie (RR) said...

You are very talented, and well done for overcoming your fears, your music is a pleasure to my ears

WOL said...

очень красивая музыка! хорошо!

Rima Staines said...

Thank you thank you all :) I so appreciate all your words.
Suz - I did invent the word Krasa, based on various Slavic root words, as I describe :)
Nanita - I know Kusturica's films well - brilliant eh. We also play Buba Maro from Black Cat White Cat :)

Snippety Giblets said...

Brilliant ! So lovely to see you play :) It sounds marvellous xxx

Velma Bolyard said...

such fun, the voices are a hoot, and i love the lilies in the vase, somehow perfect.

Lois said...

So enjoy these little tastes of your creativity when I visit. You touch so many genres of creativity. I love to visit when you post, I recharge.

Gordon said...

Hi Rima.

I try to read in your blog for several days now. You write a lot and your story sounds amazing :) It will take several month until I will maybe read half of your articles :)

For this one... I love the music. Actually I am not a big fan of folk music. But this sounds really good. Just - please - tell the people next time to shut up when you play. :) It is very disturbing if you (me) like to enjoy the music.

I like your style to life and try by myself to find a better way to life the live. More open and much closer to nature. Till now... it's not working to escape from my current life. But I hope soon. One plan is also to travel around UK. Especially the north. But maybe I also have a longer stay in the south... may we can met this time... if you have time. Seems like you are a busy woman :)

Wish you all the best and take care!

mycuriousteaparty said...

What a wonderful post, always a joy to read but this one touched my heart. We visited Chagford this autumn, now I long to see it in winter frost.

I am writing this whilst listening to the Valaam Chant, Rima could you point me in the right direction to buy this beautiful music on CD.

With all good wishes ~ Julie.

mizhenka said...

This is so wonderful!