The Shin, in their search for a sound that is definitively Georgian, has created a trans-regional fusion of various Georgian styles. Their project EgAri is based on Georgian instrumental music, traditional polyphonic vocals, and folk dance, and unites for the first time these quite separate segments of Georgian culture. It is an unusual, and highly non-traditional combination of archaic and modern, Caucasian and non-Caucasian instruments, elements of Georgian harmonies with diverse jazz threads. The Shin are not iconoclasts, however. Only what continues to evolve will remain — in that spirit, The Shin see themselves as safe keepers of Georgian traditions, not its destroyers.
EgAri brought together the best musicians on the national scene, in particular virtuosos of the archaic instruments. EgAri is the reinitiation of a peaceful dialog between East and West, old and new, “Ours” and “Not-Ours”, that has been characteristic of Georgian culture for centuries. This dialog is recognizable in the poetry of Rustaveli, the paintings of Pirosmani, the architecture of Tbilisi, the choreography of George Balanchine (Georgi Balanchivadze), the films of Otar Ioseliani, and yes... …the music of The Shin.
Tracklist:
1. Take this morning
2. Old friend
3. Chips on the water
4. What then?
5. Swanny waltz
6. Born in the saddle
7. Grass & asphalt
8. On tiptoes
9. Standard lullabby
10. Grandma's blessing
Zaza Miminoshvili - guitars, panduri
Zurab J. Gagnidze - bass, vocals
Mamuka Gaganidze - vocals, percussion
Mamuka Chichinadze - vocals, bass
Guivi Bakuradze - Gesang
Alexander Hizanhishvili - chonguri, duduki, salamuri, chiboni, chuniri
Hvicha Hvitisiashvili - panduri, duduki
Zviad Totiauri - solo duduki
David Shirtladze - doli
EgAri brought together the best musicians on the national scene, in particular virtuosos of the archaic instruments. EgAri is the reinitiation of a peaceful dialog between East and West, old and new, “Ours” and “Not-Ours”, that has been characteristic of Georgian culture for centuries. This dialog is recognizable in the poetry of Rustaveli, the paintings of Pirosmani, the architecture of Tbilisi, the choreography of George Balanchine (Georgi Balanchivadze), the films of Otar Ioseliani, and yes... …the music of The Shin.
Tracklist:
1. Take this morning
2. Old friend
3. Chips on the water
4. What then?
5. Swanny waltz
6. Born in the saddle
7. Grass & asphalt
8. On tiptoes
9. Standard lullabby
10. Grandma's blessing
Zaza Miminoshvili - guitars, panduri
Zurab J. Gagnidze - bass, vocals
Mamuka Gaganidze - vocals, percussion
Mamuka Chichinadze - vocals, bass
Guivi Bakuradze - Gesang
Alexander Hizanhishvili - chonguri, duduki, salamuri, chiboni, chuniri
Hvicha Hvitisiashvili - panduri, duduki
Zviad Totiauri - solo duduki
David Shirtladze - doli