Category Archives: Facts

Nagata Shachu

NAGATA SHACHU is a Toronto-based, world-renowned Japanese taiko group. It has enthralled audiences all over the globe with its mesmerizing and heart-pounding performances of the Japanese drums (taiko). While rooted in the folk drumming traditions of Japan, this ensemble strives to rejuvenate this ancient art form by producing innovative and exciting music that seeks to…

The AMERICAN ROGUES is a world-renowned Celtic band that brings an energetic show no matter where they perform. First-class musicians delight audiences with their cross-over music that includes jigs, reels, hornpipes, ballads, originals, covers, soundtracks, patriotic, military music and more. The audience is never bored at an AMERICAN ROGUES event. The energy of the American…

Did you know that the Olympic Hymn, also known as the Olympic Anthem, was performed for the first time in 1896 at the Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece? The choral cantata of the Olympic Anthem was written by opera composer Spyridon Samaras, while the lyrics were written by Kostis Palamas. In 1958, at the 54th…

A banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane, made of plastic or animal skin, stretched over a frame to form a resonator. It was originally used in African-American traditional music and the folk culture of rural whites, later it was frequently used in traditional jazz. There are two techniques: “rolls” and “drones”, associated…

Flutes made of bones that date back 7,000 to 9,000 years were found in the Jiahu site of Central Henan province of China. A new category of musical instruments, electrophones or electronic instruments, was created in the twentieth century. Musical sounds are organized into patterns that have pitch and rhythm. The number of times the…

A Tin Whistle is a Celtic woodwind instrument with six holes. It’s one of the simplest of musical instruments, in physical terms. The first mass-production of tin whistles was set up in the 1840s by Robert Clarke, while the earliest examples of bone whistles dating from the 12th century were found in Dublin, Ireland.

Great news for all American Rogues’ fans! The band is currently working on a music video in support of their new album “The Hammer”. Stay tuned for more updates!

Volynka is an ancient Ukrainian bagpipe. This music instrument was named after the region Volyn in Ukraine. Volynka consists of a goat skin air reservoir and metal or wooden pipes. There are two to four playing pipes. The main one has five to eight finger holes.

Gudok, also known as gudochek, is an ancient Slavic 3-string music instrument. It’s a bowl-like lyre, played with a bow. Unfortunately, there is no authentic Russian gudok nowadays. All present instruments are replicas, made with genuine parts found in Novgorod, Russia.

Amália Rodrigues, also known as Rainha do Fado (“Queen of Fado"), was a popular Portuguese fado singer. She was born on the 1st of July, 1920 in Lisbon, Portugal. During her career, she often toured abroad, popularizing fado worldwide. Her strong yet beautiful voice was adored by many. When she died on the 6th of…

Uma Casa Portuguesa by Amalia. The song conveys an atmosphere of modesty, warmth, and love felt within a Portuguese home. Ai Se Ele Cai by Xutos e Pontapés. The band is so popular among the Portuguese-speaking people, that people started calling it the Portuguese Rolling Stones. Ó Gente da Minha Terra by Mariza. The song…

Cegléd water jug is a 7-9 litre metal container for water, used as a musical instrument in Romani folk music of Hungary. This jug was first manufactured by a János Rónay in Cegléd in the 1910’s, and in the 1970’s it became a rhythm musical instrument among Romani. Károly Rostás ("Huttyán") was the first to…

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Category Archives: Facts

Nagata Shachu

American Rogues

Olympic Hymn

Banjo

Interesting Facts

Tin Whistle

The American Rogues’ new album

Volynka

Gudok

Amália Rodrigues

Top 5 classic Portuguese songs

Cegléd Jug

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