etnikafe04     THE GIANT DREAM a performance preview by Steve Borg The title chosen for this year is "The Giant Dream"   (Il-Holma Ggantija). This multi-media presentation is being performed at St. John's Ditch, in Valletta, beneath Hastings Gardens.   We shall be presenting twelve new melodies that shall compliment the narrative. (please refer to the press release hereunder) The story is entwined between the fantastic and folk belief or tale.   But although the storyline can also be easily followed by anyone, it runs parallel to how Malta has been so close to lose an integral part of its musical heritage — its own traditional Maltese instruments — iz-zummara (single reed pipe), iz-zaqq (Maltese bagpipe) and il-flejguta (cane whistle flute).   So many other facets of Maltese cultural life are threatened of going into oblivion. The main character is Anello or Nello (in Maltese Holqa — since it is thanks to him that we shall stay connected with our past) but we also meet the Dreamweaver, underwater sea dragons and sly greedy kings that sell their souls in order to gain immortality.   Ironically, it is the regained melody that shall claim that title. Etnika, founded in 2000, has had a very busy season overseas culminating with performances at the Montreaux Jazz Festival and another at the Roman amphitheatre of Sabratha.   It has continued to integrate traditional Maltese instruments with contemporary ones to create a unique sound. Albums released in include Nafra (2000) and Zifna (2003).

PRESS RELEASE Accordianist Joe Debono   ETNIKAFE 2004 The Giant Dream   Malta's fabulous folk band, Etnika, are organising their massive summer event Etnikafe 04, The Giant Dream. The spectacle takes the audience on a mystical journey to the island's most secret abodes, where fantasy meets folk tales.   A little boy's quest to recover his stolen tune from the doomed undersea world becomes the band's mission to unearth Malta's lost melodies and instruments and encounter a way to the inner musical Atlantis. A young Maltese boy Anell has to recover his dream tune from Il-Babaw Bahri, a ghost of an ancient, greedy giant king who took his kingdom to the sea dragon's underworld in a desperate bid for immortality.   The Babaw rules over the sharks and commands them to steal dreams fallen into the water and bring them to his under water cave.   Anell seeks help from the Giants who take him to the Gozitan Dreamweaver, the one who weaves the dreams into the lace of life.   The Dreamweaver tells the boy where the entrance to the cave of Il-Babaw Bahri is and asks him to bring the magic horn with which the boy is to make a magic bagpipe (iz-zaqq). The boy is instructed how to make the bagpipe by Hammarun and his tune will break the slumberous spell and lift up the islanders dreams once again. This August, The Giant Dream, takes on a mixed media approach combining narrative, projections, dance and, of course, its trademark ethnic music and an all-round involving atmosphere, that has become synonymous with Etnikafe events. These unique Etnikafe sell-out productions have become a must, generating an impressive interest and hosting a number of over 2000 thrilled spectators each year. After the premiere in August 2004, the show is intended to embark on an international tour. Etnika have recently represented Malta in festivals in Gibraltar, Tunis, Spain, Greece, Turkey and Ireland and their summer/autumn calendar of events boasts participation at The Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, as well as several other festivals and venues in Spain, Italy, Belgium and Libya. Locally the Etnika project has created a social change within the music and cultural scene, with their artistic exploration of the disused folk music instruments and the fascinating ways of how to make and play them. We invite you to partake in a story of the search for a lost voice of an ancient island in the cradle of the Mediterranean. Venue:   St. John's Ditch, Valletta (on the way to Yellow Garage) 27th, 28th, 29th August 2004, 8:30pm Tickets: LM6 Tickets from St. James Cavalier, D'Amato Stores or at the door. Tel: 2122 3216 Etnika Musicians: Andrew Alamango — guitar, oud, mandolin, tanbur Andrej Vujicic — cajon, flejguta, tanbur, zaqq Jason Fabri — percussion Ċikka Grima — choreography, castanets, percussion Joanna Aquilina — Violin Walter Vella — alto and tenor saxophone, flute Joe Debono — piano, accordion, Roland synthesizer Oliver DeGabriele — double bass, electric bass Julie Pomorski — Voice Alison Galea — Voice Frans Baldacchino, Il-Budaj — Voice Toni Spiteri, Tal-Ġebel — Voice Johnny Grima, Tal-Belt — guitar, prim Salvu Tanti, Il-Kanadi¿ — guitar, accomp. Sponsors of the event are: Marsovin, The Malta Stock Exchange, The Ministry for Culture and Tourism, The Ministry of Urban Development and Roads, Creative Solutions International, Camilleriparismode, Go Mobile, The Malta Council for Culture and the Arts, St. James Cavalier, Roland, Juscafe, Nestle, Middlesea Insurance, and the Valletta Local Council. go to Etnika's previous years' performances