Bezobav

Is there a folk music today without the unnecessary blending with other genres? The prove that it is possible, and even exceptionally well, without grafting rock and other trends, are the Moravian band Bezobratři who merge modern and traditional approach to folk music legacy. The second album by Bezobratři called Bezobav is mainly filled with songs from Moravian-Slovak border with folk balladic lyrics. The album recalls the early work of Warsaw Village Band, but in the Moravian spirit. 

The album title directly refers to both band’s approach to folk poetry and music and encourages the listeners to do that too. Songs, mostly inspired by Slovak lyrics, sound fresh and often spontaneously, with energy… The most important part of the album is polyphonic singing of almost all the members of the band. Pavel Císarík explains: “The music comes from the Moravian and Slovak roots, however, is influenced by the present and that’s why use here not only traditional musical instruments typical for the folklore of so-called Carpathian arc (shepherd’s pipes, flutes, overtone flutes, Belorussian cimbalom, violin, accordion, cello) but also less traditional ones (glockenspiel, drum, darbouka, jewish harp, didgeridoo, castanets, tambourine).“

In the lyrics many rough and delicate metaphors can be found, also bloody images, simplicity, austere expression, acronyms; those are the typical elements of folk poetry. Thematically, the album contains murders, jealousy, death in many forms, suffering but also we come across a love song, wedding song or a lullaby.

The band Bezobratři got famous also thanks to their excellent shepherd’s pipe, pipe and overtone flute play; they also make those instruments themselves and organize popular workshops at festivals where they show how to make them. “All those so-called edge instruments used in the recording process (pipes, shepherd’s pipes and overtone flutes) are made by the band Bezobratři. We couldn’t do without our own products. If we had to buy all these instruments, we would ruin ourselves. The main feature of these instruments is that they are very limited in intonation, we wouldn’t be able to play all the tones and keys and that’s why it was necessary to meet current needs and produce the instruments for the songs. You might say that some flutes are custom made for some songs.”

The album Bezobav is unique for its concept and approach of the musicians in our country. If you had the opportunity to visit a concert or workshop you will definitely become a fan of elderberry pipes.