VULCHEVA - JENKINS INCIDENT - Crossing The Danube (Osmoysis OSMO CD009)
A long awaited album from former Whippersnapper string-person Martin Jenkins and his wife Kalinka Vulcheva, for 20 years a soprano soloist with the renowned Bulgarian women's choir Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares. Zazz percussionist Ted Kay completes the picture.
This could well be the first Bulgarian-English Traditional crossover album in existence.
It is rescued from potential novelty value status by some fine playing and the incredible vocal talents of Kalinka.
The album shifts through a variety of moods, with the Martin Jenkins penned 'Only Laughter In Hers Eyes', resembling early folk-rock projects like Dando Shaft, followed by traditional Bulgarian folk songs and a Springtime fertility dance designed to chase away evil spirits.
Kalinka uses her voice to amazing effect in an interpretation of the English standard 'The Blacksmith'. Try listening to this followed by the Shirley Collins version.
After a Summer of listening to tabla players like Trilok Girtu and Shauker Hussein, Ted Kay's percussion seemed to lack authority.
The vocals are definitely the high point and there are some interesting concepts, but I don't know whether this will stand the test of time and become a classic release or something of a curio. Still, anything that helps to push back the frontiers of English traditional music a bit further can only be a good thing.
(Andy Hemsley)