Ilusha Tsinadze Sextet: The Mother Tongue Project
With blazing fiddle solos, African and Brazilian percussion, and group sing-alongs, Ilusha Tsinadze and his band reimagine Georgian folk music. For the first time, they place the folk songs and dances of Georgia?s villages and mountains into conversation with the sounds of the global city. Deda Ena/Mother Tongue is their recently recorded album, one that has earned them acclaim internationally. Joining Tsinadze for this performance will be the personnel from the record, some of New York City?s finest improvisational musicians: Rob Hecht (violin), Richie Barshay (percussion), Liam Robinson (accordion), Chris Tordini (bass), and Jean Rohe (voice).
Ilusha Tsinadze came to the U.S. with his family at the age of eight, and didn?t return to Georgia until 2005, by which time he had earned a bachelor?s degree in jazz guitar. There, he rediscovered the musical heritage lost to him for so many years. It became a bridge between cultures and lands, between his family in Georgia and himself.
Ilusha became inspired to share the music of his heritage with an audience in the U.S. He settled in New York, but rather than combing the diverse New York City music scene for Georgian traditional musicians, he opted to call on some of his accomplished friends from the worlds of jazz, American roots music, and international music.
The rest is history. Since the release of the album in May 2011, Ilusha has performed the repertoire on both sides of the Atlantic. He sells out clubs in Georgia (the country) AND New York, and his stateside performances attract the mid-Atlantic?s sizeable Georgian Diaspora as well as discerning fans of jazz and international music.
Washington Ethical Society, 7750 16th St., NW, Washington, DC 20012
Free to members, but reservations are recommended! Members may reserve seats until Friday, April 20. Non-members $20 at the door
Reservations: via e-mail to Betsy Platt (click here) (preferred) or 301.717.4641.
