Ravinia 2019, Issue 7, Week 13

6:00 PM MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2019 BENNETT GORDON HALL MAMES BABEGENUSH † EMIL GOLDSCHMIDT, clarinet LUKAS RANDE, saxophones BO RANDE, flugelhorn NICOLAI KORNERUP, accordion ANDREAS MØLLERHØJ, double bass MORTEN ÆRØ, drums † Ravinia debut MAMES BABEGENUSH Mames Babegenush is the East meeting the North—strong Scandinavian roots merging with the vibrant dance music of Eastern Europe. From the ambience of Nordic pine trees to live- ly weddings in Romania, the music of Mames Babegenush gives a sense of both melancholy and ecstatic joy. Formed in Copenhagen in 2004 the six-piece ensemble quickly dazzled audiences as well as critics with a fresh sound and musical gumption. The group spent years to perfect the styles of traditional Jewish and Eastern European folk music, but has always in- sisted on leaving a personal mark in its music. Live on stage, Mames Babegenush is a unique acquaintance, unfolding a thrilling and dynamic universe never seen or heard before. Through- out its career, the group has played some of the most storied venues and festivals worldwide, in- cluding Carnegie Hall and the Chicago World Music Festival in the United States, Bergen In- ternational Festival in Norway, The Royal Dan- ish Theatre, Roskilde Festival in Denmark, and Paradiso in The Netherlands. The group’s fifth and most recent album, Mames Babegenush with Strings , featuring the string quartet LiveStrings, was released in 2017 on CD, vinyl, and digital media. Saxophonist Lukas Bjørn Rande called the disc “our best and purest album to date. We had a very minimalistic approach to our time in the studio, and wanted everything on the album to sound precisely as it did in the studio in front the audience. No added electronic elements or post-editing, as acoustic as possible.” The group’s discography also includes an eponymous al- bum (2014), Full Moons & Pay Days (2012), My Heart Aches When the Angels Dance (2011), and Klezmer Killed the Radio Star (2009). Mames Babegenush is making its Ravinia debut. RAVINIA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 26 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2019 112