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Review: Opa Rosa, Jam Jar – ‘Serious European grooviness’
Fiddle and accordion, double bass and clattering percussion are guaranteed to get feet moving and hands in the air. Eastern European grooves force knee-bends and fingers flickering in the air. A relentless, undulating rhythm seems to be searching for something to push it over the edge.
And then Isis Wolf-Light raises her clarinet to the sky. Music pours from her. Waves and sparks, great trails of light spill out and it’s hard not to gasp.
Wolf-Light is the clarinet player in Bristol’s Opa Rosa, the five-piece Balkan, Greek, Roma, Klezmer superheroes on a mission to bring serious European grooviness to the dancefloor. She is a remarkable musician in a band that is crammed with them. She elevates the extraordinary into the sublime.
is needed now More than ever
Opa Rosa’s take on traditional Balkan music keeps crowds on the dancefloor – photo: Gavin McNamara
This is a hometown show that celebrates the release of Havasi Klub, Opa Rosa’s second album. While it is, doubtless, a wonderful record, it is on stage that this band utterly catches fire.
Starting with The Welly, the opening track from the new album, they are immediately electrifying. Izy Ellis sets up an elephant-procession-from-Jungle-Book groove on double bass, Ricardo de Noronha rattling away on hand drums, rolling his cymbals as Thomas Hodson’s accordion chases the clarinet up to the rafters.
Lulu Austin, on violin, sends high wires spinning and spiralling across the Jam Jar, allowing the rest to perform staggering, jazzy acrobatics all around her. She’s not averse to the odd breath-taking feat either, her violin leaping and singing.
Changulovo Oro is a Bulgarian tune that starts with the violin low and pulsing, the accordion joins, the rhythm heartbeat-perfect, Ellis’ bass, once again, adding to the groove.
The dancefloor is perfectly laid out for Wolf-Light to dance all over it. Her clarinet playing is sinuous, twisting; it would be hypnotic if not for the fact that you can’t help but dance to it. Perhaps it’s bewitching, then.
Hodson keeps pace, proving himself to be the Hendrix of the accordion, so swift, so dextrous are his fingers. Every head is bobbing in the audience, every foot moving.
The title track from the new album is epic in its sweep. Tone and pace shift magically, it’s like hovering above the whole of Eastern Europe taking in every outbreak of joy, every moment of sadness.
Everything thrums. It might have its feet in a Turkish Roma vibe but its head and heart fly free. Drones become ecstatic crescendos, Austin sharpens her violin and thrusts it through the tune, pizzicato stabs that send the dancers over the edge. It’s just thrilling. Havasi Klub feels like Opa Rosa’s statement to the world. It says “listen to this, understand where it comes from, then dance like crazy”.
In honour of a celebratory homecoming, Opa Rosa welcome a string of guests. Three wonderful Turkish vocalists add gorgeous restrained harmonies, there’s anger and yearning, playfulness and a delicious finger-clicking groove.
The music respectfully steps back allowing the voices to express themselves. Then viola player Ben Pitt (from Balkan wonders, Raka) attempts to keep pace with Wolf-Light. And almost does. There’s such a feeling of warmth and friendliness; it takes the chill off of a November evening.
Clarinettist Isis Wolf-Light’s playing is enchanting and hypnotic – photo: Pogo
By the time we get to Kolomeyke and Cigansko Oro, there’s no stopping them. The Balkan “hup-hup” rhythm is unstoppable, the accordion is pumping, violin and clarinet speeding upwards. Fingers are cast into the air, feet leaving the floor.
And then Isis Wolf-Light throws her head back and music, joy, love, and life simply pour from her.
Go and buy Havasi Klub for all your loved ones. They’ll thank you.
Main image: Gavin McNamara
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