Our world grows smaller and smaller: 17 Hippies may be based in Berlin, but the band’s repertoire wanders from the Balkans to a Parisian cafe, not forgetting a quick sortie into the American borderlands. So much travelling could easily result in a collection of tourist kitsch, but their postmodern ramblings, with horns and strings mixed with unpretentious, multilingual vocals, are conducted in just the right inquisitive spirit. One minute revving up like a supercharged gypsy band, the next delivering a pastoral treatment of the old pop hit Apache, the German musicians (there are actually 13 of them) come across as a more genial version of that restless French collective Lo’Jo.

The press says: “ Musically, there´s everything in it which they could possibly get their hands on. They whirl you through Romanian Sirba, clarinets race through Klezmer melodies, a Cajun song is performed in a very strange local German dialect."

“The 17 Hippies are ridiculously underrated.
They should be in the front rank of European world music artists …”

Charlie Gillet, BBC London



01. Ifni
02. Frau Von Ungefahr
03. Bourree Dite D'aurore Sand
04. Mad Bad Cat
05. Karsilamas
06. Gator's Grin
07. Saragina Rumba
08. Saint Behind The Glass
09. Besho
10. Dansons La Valse
11. Jovano Jovanke
12. Hotel Cazane
13. Sirba All The Way
14. Der Zug Um 7.40 Uhr
15. Was Bleibt
16. Elf-Achtel
17. Chassidic Song
18. Marlene
19. Hoyaka
20. Valser Nel Bosco

Antje Henkel – clarinet, saxophon
Carsten Wegener – double-bass, saw, vocals
Christopher Blenkinsop – ukulele, irish bouzouki, vocals
Daniel Friedrichs – violins
Dirk Trageser – guitar, vocals
Elmar Gutmann - trumpet
Henry Notroff – clarinets
Kerstin Kaernbach – violins
Kiki Sauer – accordion, harmonium, flute, vocals
Kruisko – accordion
Lüül - banjo, guitar
Rike Lau – cello, vocals
Uwe Langer – trombone, trumpet, euphonium

Link

pass: bluesmen-worldmusic.blogspot.com

4 Comments:

pumpki&mo said...

i have seen and heard them in spring this year and felt very pity for them because of the starchy and strange audience.

really great band with their special own mix, going their own way ;)

Darkman said...

192? :)

Bluesmen said...

Yes.:)

Unknown said...

Well, quite frankly I have run out of adjectives to describe them.
Unbelievable band.
Thanks a ton bluesmen.
I owe you a hundred times over for all the awesome music on your blog. :)

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