PUULUUP and QWANQWA

The Cedar Presents

PULUUP and QWANQWA

Global Roots Festival: Night One

Monday, September 26, 2022 / Doors: 7:00 PM CT / Show: 7:30 PM CT

All Ages

Standing

Free

This is a standing show with an open floor. To request seating or other access accommodations, please go to our .

Prospective attendees can RSVP to this event online.

ABOUT THIS SHOW

Night one of Global Roots Festival kicks off with Puuluup and QWANQWA! Puuluup will begin the festival fun with talharpa, the traditional Estonian horsehair bowed lyre, innovating with experimental techniques, heavy effects processing, loops, and their signature comedic dance and banter. To close the night, QWANQWA brings together some of the most accomplished traditional players in Ethiopia to share their improvisations and experimentations, pushing the boundaries of Ethiopian string traditions.

PUULUUP

Puuluup is a duo – Ramo Teder (Pastacas as a solo artist) and Marko Veisson. A pinch of surrealism, modern folklore and talharpa revival! The old and the new stick together like water and sleet in Puuluup’s oeuvre. The instruments – talharpas – represent tradition and folklore. The characteristically susurrus sounds of these instruments are sent through effect blocks and a looper. The lyrics and melodies are a mixture of our musical memories and improvisation. Inspiration is often drawn from leiks from Vormsi, Finnish jouhikko repertoire, Sahel’s blues, chastushkas and other elements from the musical traditions from around the world. All kinds of random sources of inspiration are similarly important – unexpected excerpts from Polish TV series, old Estonian punk and sweetbread from Vormsi Island. As a side dish, when giving live concerts they also offer choreographic flittering which emerged on its own during the numerous days these two man spent in the rehearsal rooms.

To learn more about Puuluup:

• Visit their website here

“Paala järve vaala baar” by Puuluup. Video courtesy to Õunaviks Official YouTube Channel.

QWANQWA

Brought together by a shared passion for the power of Ethiopian music, this group shines an experimentalism based in the virtuosity of rooted traditions. With swirling masinko (one-stringed fiddle), wah-wah-violin, bass krar boom, and the unstoppable rhythm of heavy kebero (goat-skin drum) beats, powerful traditional lead African diva vocals, QWANQWA keeps the people wrapped in celebratory attention. After making a splash at world renowned festivals Roskilde and WOMEX, and after 3 European tours under their belt, this world traveling ensemble is hitting the road for a MacArthur Foundation backed Debut US tour in 2022.

QWANQWA draws inspiration from East Africa regions of Ethiopia and beyond. Delving deep into regional beats and moods, the repertoire ranges from a trance-like song of the Eritrean tribe of Blen to a Somalian rock number to Mahmoud Ahmed sing-a-longs. The music is characterized by tight arrangements and extended experimental moments. The live show ranges from intimate to wild, from whispery conversations to full blown rock show, and it is hard to believe these psychedelic sounds are coming from traditional harp and violin. It is driving, powerful, and different than anything else coming out of Ethiopia at this current Golden Age of Ethiopian music.The ensemble was founded in 2012 by American violinist Kaethe Hostetter, who first worked in Ethiopian music as a founding member of critically acclaimed Debo Band. Since relocating to Addis in 2009, she has participated in numerous exploratory and professional projects, as she honed her sound and immersed herself further into the culture of her surroundings. In this sense, QWANQWA, the Amharic word for “language,” is a project creating dialogues between cultures.

Current members of QWANQWA are Endris Hassen (masinko), Kaethe Hostetter (violin), Bubu Teklemariam (bass krar), Selamnesh Zemene (vocalist), and Misale Legesse (kebero). They have appeared internationally with Getachew Mekuria, The EX, Thurston Moore, Fred Frith, Butch Morris, Debo Band, Nile Project, Fendika, Mahmoud Ahmed, Mulatu Astatke, Addis Acoustic, Ethiocolor, Atse Teodros, Mohammed “Jimmy” Mohammed, and Imperial Tiger Orchestra, and have played stages from Lincoln Center to Bonnaroo, Jazzfest (New Orleans), Moers Festival, Roskilde, WOMEX, WOMAD and more.

An integral and constant presence in Addis Ababa nightlife scene, QWANQWA has been featured performance at Roskilde 2016 (Northern Europe’s biggest music festival).

To learn more about QWANQWA:

• Visit their website here

“Kemekem” by QWANQWA. Video courtesy to Crawfurd Media v/ Jacob Crawfurd Official YouTube Channel.

GOALS OF THE GLOBAL ROOTS FESTIVAL

• Provide Minnesotans the opportunity to hear live music rooted in traditions from around the world
• Educate audiences about cultural difference in our increasingly diverse state
• Give Minnesotans of a variety of backgrounds an opportunity to connect with their cultural roots
• Facilitate opportunities for intercultural interaction, education, and collaboration
• Position The Cedar as a homebase for international artists visiting the region
• Learn from Black, Indigenous, and People of Color musicians and youth in our community who we partner with to curate and guide performances and programming

THANKS TO OUR 2022 GLOBAL ROOTS FESTIVAL FUNDERS

SPONSORED BY SUMMIT BREWING

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Avenue South, Minneapolis, United States