Karuzela // Polske Sanger på Norsk // CD

An expressive musical and poetic journey through Poland with the Karuzela group, featuring singers Jørn Simen Øverli, Tora Augestad and Joanna Lewandowska-Zbudniewek.

Welcome to a Polish universe where God serves strawberry ice-cream and forgives, scratches his crown, is asked to not forget the people and to give them less fatiguing mountains to climb to calm their beating hearts. Learn about the amusing use of masks during the masquerade, the gems among all the beautiful words, joyous moments behind the façade, grey hugs full of sadness and tight-fitting suits in the country that is the father and the mother and heaven and hell on earth. Here heads are full of emeralds and the palms of the hands are like flowers. The man in the moon rises early and hides the moon hanging above the rooftops so that wives will kiss their husbands instead of trying to catch the moon. Around love rain knocks on the door, and there the devils thrive, while the Madonnas climb aboard the carousel of life with brushstrokes by Rafael and live life to the full while horses’ hooves kick out. 

This CD offers fantastic Polish poetry and music written over the last 50 years, but it is also a shortcut to learn more about the Polish people. It has many of their most important 

songs. You cannot read it on the faces of the people from Poland, but this is something they know and carry with them everywhere.

Jørn Simen Øverli has long worked on "translating culture" through song poetry. His CD "Den Røde Bussen" (The red bus) which recreated Solidarity songs from Poland was released in 1986. Many Norwegian record buyers have learnt to appreciate him through this CD and his impressive work with songs by the Russian Vladimir Vysotskij. In the Karuzela group Jørn Simen is joined by the Norwegian singing talent Tora Augestad and well-known Polish artist Joanna Lewandowska-Zbudniewek. Jørn Simen and Tora Augestad have always wanted to work on something together, and in 2009 they went looking for songs in Poland. They contacted Joanna, who included Grzech Piotrowski, who has arranged her songs and played saxophone with her for years. He has also played extensively with bass player Sebastian Wypych. Tora and Jørn Simen invited two of their favourite Norwegian musicians Espen Leite Skarpengland and Pål Hausken to join – and this is Karuzela:

Vocals: Joanna Lewandowska-Zbudniewek, Tora Augestad and Jørn Simen Øverli

Acoustic guitar: Jørn Simen Øverli

Accordion: Espen Leite Skarpengland

Saxophone and duduk: Grzech Piotrowski

Double bass: Sebastian Wypych

Drums: Pål Hausken

The lyrics have been recreated in Norwegian by Jørn Simen Øverli. The CD was recorded in Kulturkirken Jakob in February this year, mixed in Studio Nordraak by Martin Abrahamsen and produced by Erik Hillestad.

Track list:

1. Szurum Burum/ Zielono mi                                                              4:20

2. Det gjør ikke noe/ Nie żałuję                                                           5:59                                  

3. Septemberstille/ Tomaszów                                                            5:04

4. Vinter'n varer/ Jeszcze zima                                                           6:22

5. Djevler i regnet/ Diabły w deszczu                                                 7:35

6. Blyge Brita/ Oczy tej małej                                                              5:17

7. Jobs barn/ Dzieci Hioba                                                                   5:30

8. Jul i Sibir/ Wigilia na Syberbii                                                          6:13

9. Når jeg er borte/ Kiedy mnie już nie będzie                                   3:12

10. Kødda bare/ Mówiłam żartem                                                       4:20

11. Czantoria/ Czantoria                                                                       6:26

12. Et rolig hjerte/ Ucisz serce                                                            5:44

13. Karusell med Madonnaer/ Karuzela z Madonnami                      4:12