Eli Yamin Blues Band - Blues in the Balkans
At this point, we are real close. There’s nothing like making music together on the road and meeting such great people along the way. Here’s the workshop at the High School for Music in Tirane. There’s such curiosity for our music here, and such great talent. The trombone professor thanked us for drawing the power source of the blues as coming from African American Spirituals. He told us how for song long spiritual practices were outlawed in Albania. With new freedom, people are returning to their spiritual lives. He feels this is a great source of inspiration for music making. We couldn’t agree more.
Tirane High School of Music
Tirane High School of Music
Tirane High School of Music
Tirane High School of Music
After the workshop, we played at the House of Arts in Tirane. Here’s Kate and I having a lot of fun scatting back and forth. What a joy and priviledge it is to sing with Kate McGarry every night!
Kate McGarry and Eli Yamin, House of Arts, Tirane, Albania
On Sunday, we performed live on the widely popular, nationally televised E Diel Television program. We played Fishin’ Blues, I Feel So Glad and Billie’s Bounce to an over-the-top enthusiastic studio audience and staff. The place really fell out when I spoke the few words of Albanian I had been practicing all day: “Meerdeeta Shirape. Eay fantastique!” –“Hello Albania. You are fantastic!”
Eli Yamin Blues Band on E Diel, Top Channel, Albania National TV
We closed out the tour with a workshop at the International School and a performance at the Ambassador’s residence.
Tirane International School
Eli Yamin Blues Band with U.S. Ambassador to Albania and his wife
What a magical journey this has been!Huge thanks to all of our Albanian hosts, especially Mirela, Matilda and Bix from the Embassy. We hope to return to Albania real soon. Thank-you thank-you thank-you!
Mirela Cupi, U.S. Embassy, Tirane, Albania
Matilda Vangjeli, U.S. Embassy, Tirane, Albania
…and RHYTHM.
Here we are at the Cultural Center in Oradea, an 800 seat, former Communist meeting place.
While in Baia Mare, we visited this nearly 300 year old wooden church. We also met folks in their homes living like the olden days. Look at the sparks coming out of their eyes. I loved the natural washing machine. Then, a workshop at the Liceu de Arta School in town and finally a packed show in a downtown club. Everybody was singing and stompin’ the blues! Thanks to all the students who played and sang with us. Keep playing the Blues-y’all. We need it now more than ever. And you know what Willie Dixon said, “The Blues is the roots and everything else is the fruits.”
The Blues Band arrived in Romania on Wednesday. After spending a relaxing evening in Bucharest, we traveled on the Blues Bus to Brasov, an ancient Romanian town in the country. The concert was a hoot-the second set more packed then the first. I guess people went and called/texted their friends.
This beautiful country town was a perfect for stop for the blues. Thank-you to Jeny who organized the concert locally and all the great people of Brasov for giving us such a warm welcome! Photos by Genu Ariseanu. Thanks Genu!
