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“Bangas” debijas albums “TALKA” atklāj latviešiem labi pazīstamo talkošanas tradīciju dažādās nozīmēs un aktualitāti mūsdienās. Albums ierakstīts, vairāku gadu garumā vācot latviešu tradicionālo mūziku no dažādiem novadiem, kā arī pētot tradīciju no praktiskās puses ar seniem un ne tik seniem lauku darbiem un sanākšanu kopā.

Latviešu folklorā ir daudz elementu, kas pauž talkas jēdzienā ietērpto filozofiju par kopīgu darbu paveikšanu. Albumā tas izcelts burdondaudzbalsībā – mūzikā, kur zem melodijas bieži tiek dziedāts stiepts patskanis, košā saspēlē līdz pat piecbalsīgām melodijām, kā arī īpaši atlasītos dziesmu tekstos no talcinieku, saimnieku un citām perspektīvām.

Tautasdziesmu teksti atlasīti, ņemot vērā dažādo novadu izlokšņu iezīmes un pakāpeniski vedot klausītāju cauri naratīvam par talkas rīkošanu un sanākšanu kopā, dažādu darbu darīšanu un apdziedāšanos, atklājot veselīgu humoru talcinieku un talkas saimnieku attiecībās. Tāpat teksti pauž refleksiju par darbu cēlienā piedzīvoto un padarītā svinēšanu, kas ir neatņemama talkošanas sastāvdaļa, lai cikls būtu noslēdzies.


Bangā kopš 2016. gada dzied un spēlē ar folkloru izauguši un līdzīgi domājoši draugi, kas šajā albumā piedalās šādās lomās:
Ilga Vālodze Ābele - balss (1,2,3,4,5,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,21,25), magones (2), kociņi (2,7), dūdas un māla stabule (6), kokle (16), bungas, tamburīns (20)
Janta Jasjukeviča - balss (1,2,3,4,5,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,15,17,18,19,21,23,24,25), vijole (20)
Jānis Zemgus Jātnieks - balss (1,2,3,4,5,7,11,12,13,15,16,17,19,21,22,23,24,25), bungas (6), bajāns, mandolīna (20)
Didzis Romanovskis - balss (2,3,4,5,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,15,16,17,19,21,22,23,24,25), dūdas (6), blokflauta (20)
Kristaps Kušķis - balss (1,2,3,4,5,7,11,12,13,15,16,17,19,21,22,23,24,25), māla taure (6)
Atis Ēriks Dumpis - balss (2,3,4,5,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,15,16,17,19,21,22,23,24,25)
Elīna Ellere - balss (1,2,3,4,5,7,11,13,15,16,17,18,21,23,24,25)
Laima Jātniece - balss (1,2,3,4,5,8,9,10,12,13,15,16,17,18,19,21,23,24,25)
Elīna Arāja - balss (1)
Justīne Jasjukeviča - balss (1)


Idejas un koncepta autore - Ilga Vālodze Ābele
Mūzikas materiāli no latviešu folkloras arhīviem
Vārdu salikums - Ilga Vālodze Ābele, Elīna Ellere
Ieraksts, mikss un māsters - Kaspars Bārbals
Albuma dizains - Elīna Arāja
Izlokšņu konsultante - Beatrise Reidzāne

Projekts īstenots ar kolektīvās finansēšanas vietnes projektubanka.lv palīdzību un ierakstīts studijā ''Lauska''. Dažos ierakstos dzirdamās dabas fona skaņas ierakstītas bandzenieku lauku mājās Vidrižos un Allažos.

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The debut album of Banga, titled Talka, demonstrates a well-known Latvian tradition called talka (‘communal work’) in its various meanings and contexts in today’s society. The album was created over the span of several years, with studio members collecting traditional Latvian music from different areas of Latvia as well as researching and experiencing the talka tradition themselves by participating in farm work and other gatherings.


There are many elements in Latvian folklore that display the meaning and philosophy behind the concept of talka. On the album, these appear musically as drone harmony, in which a long vowel is sung beneath the main melody, or several melodies sung at once. The concept of talka is also present in the individually selected song lyrics, which tell stories from the perspectives of homestead owners or hosts, the workers themselves (talcenieki) and others.


The folk songs on this album have been selected considering the municipality they originated from as well as their unique dialects, together taking the listener on a journey through the whole process of talkošana: organizing a talka event, gathering, working, and satirical teasing songs (apdziedāšanās), which reveal the humor and light-hearted relationship between the workers and the host. The songs convey the experience of working together as well as celebrating the completion of work, which is also an essential part of the talka cycle.



Banga has been active since 2016, when a group of like-minded friends all sharing a background in folklore began singing together. On this album, they are:


Ilga Vālodze Ābele – vocals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 15), poppy-seed shaker (2), sticks (2, 7), bagpipes and clay flute (6), kokle (16), drums and tambourine (20)
Janta Jasjukeviča – vocals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 21, 23, 24, 25), violin (20)
Jānis Zemgus Jātnieks – vocals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25), drums (6), chromatic button accordion and mandolin (20)
Didzis Romanovskis – vocals (2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25), bagpipes (6), recorder (20)
Kristaps Kušķis – vocals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25), clay horn (6)
Atis Ēriks Dumpis – vocals (2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
Elīna Ellere – vocals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 11, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 23, 24, 25)
Laima Jātniece – vocals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 23, 24, 25)
Elīna Arāja – vocals (1)
Justīne Jasjukeviča – vocals (1)


Concept by Ilga Vālodze Ābele
Music materials taken from Latvian folklore archives
Arrangement of lyrics by Ilga Vālodze Ābele and Elīna Ellere
Recording, mixing, and mastering by Kaspars Bārbals
Album design by Elīna Arāja
Dialect consultations by Beatrise Reidzāne



This event has been made possible with the support of the projektubanka.lv crowd-funding site and was recorded at the “Lauska” studio in Riga.

The audio recordings from nature included as background sound for some of the songs were recorded on the farmsteads of Banga participants in Vidriži and Allaži.