From Polish Tango to Romanian wedding dance, throwing in Jewish, Greek, Japanese, Gypsy, Turkish and who knows what else influences. There's even a bit of Brahms. The term 'World Music' tends to conjure up a folksy image, but genuinely brought us sounds from all over the globe, but in a more classical format. The choice of numbers is eclectic, arrangements are not merely imaginative, but constantly surprising, and there is virtuosity in abundance.
The trio use violin, viola and piano accordion to produce a rich sound, almost orchestral in depth at times, but with the simplicity of the people's music. Harriet Mackenzie's violin technique includes one of the most aggressive pizzicato's I've seen, and attacking bowed passages will suddenly give way to a gentle caress. She's like a fiddling dominatrix. On viola Meg Hamilton can be seen to revel in the chance to improvise and bring freshness to everything she touches. Miloš Milivojević plays accordion in a quiet, understated manner, but the solo Romanian piece he played was one of the highlights of the evening.
There were times, for this listener at least, when the music evoked more admiration than excitement. But there was a disconnect about the event that maybe prevented my full involvement. In a venue where I'm used to seeing jazz, rock and folk it came as a surprise to find this was more concert than gig. The formality of taking a bow after every piece, and the cut glass accents of the two fiddlers, would have felt more at home in in a more formal venue, and the band need to learn to adapt their audience technique to different venues.
But that carp aside, this was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. For anyone who appreciates a high standard of musicianship, and the rhythms and cadences of Eastern Europe and beyond, Kosmos are a band you can depend on.
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