A breathtaking introduction to the vocal traditions rooted in the Pankisi lowlands in the mountainous landscape of Caucasus. The Pankisi Ensemble gave an enchanting concert at this year’s Roskilde Festival, their first ever in the country. We now offer the opportunity to enjoy their mesmerizing music once again. The group opens a window to the exceptionally rare folk music from the Kists; an ethnic minority related to the Chechens. Their transcendent songs have begun to resonate beyond the borders of Georgia, including here at ALICE, where we look forward to presenting them in November.

Folklore, yearning love ballads, and religious Nazam songs: The Pankisi Ensemble intertwines Kist and Chechen folk music from the Pankisi Gorge with music from other regions of Georgia. The group’s remarkable female vocalists are accompanied by instruments such as the accordion and the dechig-pondar, which is a Chechen lute.

The ensemble was founded by musician and folk music researcher Bela Mutoshvili and initially started as an amateur ensemble of singers with a shared passion for preserving ancient vocal traditions. Over time, the ensemble has evolved into a more professional project, and thanks to the exciting label Ored Recordings, their music now resonates beyond the borders of Georgia.

Ored Recordings documents and develops musical traditions from the Caucasus region through both field recordings and album releases. The Pankisi Ensemble came into the spotlight when ethnographer Ben Wheeler connected with the group. In December, the ensemble’s first album was released, showcasing a different direction from the polyphonic singing tradition that Georgia eagerly promotes as its national heritage. It provides a beautiful glimpse into a music tradition of a marginalized ethnic group, rarely heard in these parts.