Kallpa Duo – Tango

Description

Tango liturgy

In the language of quechua, kallpa means strength, power. Words intertwine with reality, they derive from it and at the same time inspire, and their choice subconsciously determines the relationship between the speaker and what he is saying. I do not know if choosing the word kallpa for the name of the duo was co incidental – the magic of sound definitely did its work, also a certain exoticism and awareness that the word originates from Latin American culture; therefore, on a deeper, subconscious level, that name not incidentally, points us in the direction of the world of South American culture. It is no surprise that two young musicians form Krakow turned their interest towards the music of the New World, the source of new energy and inspiration for the artists of the old continent. I remember the gradual awakening of interest in the culture in the 19705. It first began with literature, Iberian American prose consistently published by the Krakow based Wydawnictwo Literackie Publishing House. Mario Vargas Llosa, Juan Rulfo, Jose Lezama Lima, Jorge Luis Borges, Ernesto Sabato are only a few that represent this trend.

Latin American music was exotic; during my studies at the Faculty of Iberian Culture, which had just opened in Krakow, I started discovering this abundant world of new sounds. In this environment, somewhere between the Jagiellonian University and the Piwnica Pod Baranami Cabaret, the first Guitar Festival was born thanks to Czesław Droździewicz, a great enthusiast of guitar music, specifically Latin American guitar music. Thanks to him I was able to experience Piazzolla’s music live. Earlier, I remember the magic of sitting in a group, listening to his vinyl in the home of our professor Quico Bello. That recording created together with the late jazz baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan was like discovering new lands. An even greater experience was walking through those newly discovered lands, when Piazolla’s music first sounded in Krakow – Concerto for Bandoneón, Guitar and Orchestra, performed by no one else but the outstanding Argentinian duo, guitarist Roberto Aussel and bandoneón virtuoso Juan Jose Mosalini. The most memorable, however, seems to be the mystic moment when in Piwnica Pod Baranami, after the cabaret had ended, Juan Jose stayed on stage with his bandoneón. That was a real Iiturgy, flowing from the soul, a prayer, happiness and despair all in one. And so Piazzola touched Krakow and stayed here for good. At least for me I thought, but as it turned out not only for me. I had the opportunity to listen to his music numerous times, played by the Assad Brothers, Yo-Yo Ma, Gidon Kremer. I also listened to music of many other Latin American artists – Jorge Cardoso, Jorge Morel, Ariel Ramirez, Heitor Villa-Lobos and many, many more, until finally I came across the Kallpa Duo album.

Aleksander Małkiewicz