music: tea hodzic trio

17 mar 2011

tea hodic trio at turner sims concert hall 17 mar 2011

tea hodzic trio is based in london and performed today here in Southampton, at the turner sims concert hall. Tea is originally from the Balkans, this region in central europe very much marked with ethnic, religious, and political conflicts: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, plus the autonomous provinces within Serbia: Kosovo and Vojvodina. Tea left former Yugoslavia long ago to establish in london and her trio plays folk music from the balkans. it was very interesting to listen to this music and to observe the trio with a repertoire filled with songs that talked about beautiful girls. Oliver, the violen player who is originally Welsh, said there are no ugly in the balkans, as a joke or course. Luke, from london, plays the accordeon sooo beautifully. it had been very long since i last even saw an accordeon. i really loved to see tradition and history in every sound and tune.

Diana's mother is Serbian. she told her mom she was coming to the concert and her mom got so excited. diana bought mom a cd with the music from her heart. what a night! afterall it is always healing to be able to go back home, even if only in our souls.

film: 'bande a part'

30 may 2010

‘bande à part’

released as ‘band of outsiders’

Production year: 1964
Country: France
Runtime: 97 mins
Director: Jean-Luc Godard
Writer: based on Dolores Hitchens’s novel “Fools’ Gold”, written by Godard
Cast: Anna Karina, Sami Frey, Claude Brasseur, Daniele Girard, Louisa Colpeyn
Music: Michel Legrand

Last night I watched the film ‘band à part’. As far as I can remember it was my first nouvelle vague film. I like it very much. It is about this girl (Odile), who meets two guys (Arthur and Franz) at their english class. Both guys become interested in Odile, and she is more interested in Arthur. They go the cafes, dance, and when Odile realizes it is too late and she is involved with the plan of robbing the money Mr. Stolz keeps at home, the home where Odile lives with her aunt Victoria. From there problems arise.

I love the film, the scenes in Paris, the black and white effects, the whole natural atmosphere. According to one of the people who worked in the production of the film, in an interview in the extras, Godard said he didn’t do films, he did cinema. i read i think on wikipedia that godard said 'bande a part' is an 'alice in wonderland' meeting Kafka. LOL. ironic and so true. perfect definition.

i watched the film alone, at home. nice and cozy in the cold night.
Thanks a lot for lending me the film, Diana.