Beat a Go Go

On both sides of us, bright green mountains tower overhead, cows and little houses stuck to their sides like decorations on a Christmas tree. A deep valley plunges down to our left - a cliff, really. I'm hoping we don't end up at the bottom of it. "Are you carsick? I can pull over," my friend says brightly from behind the wheel. I never get carsick, I tell him. This is true, but every time he takes a curve, I'm well-aware that last night I consumed a good deal of refošk, Slovenia's robust red wine. In spite of this, I'm enjoying the ride. We're in the foothills of the Slovenian Alps and the scenery is lovely.

When we get to Cerkno (which, by the way, is pronounced "Tserkno" - "c" is pronounced "ts" in Slovene, leading to such amusing spellings as "pica" for pizza), I'm surprised. It's a very small town and not much is happening. There are a couple of cafés where people are sitting outdoors drinking beer or kava s smetano (strong coffee topped with whipped cream and dusted with cocoa powder). A big tent has been set up in the cobblestoned town square - lots of chairs, but hardly any audience, and the evening's concerts will start in about an hour. There's a festival here? Where is it? I ask my friend, "How many people usually come to this thing?" "Ten or twelve," he deadpans. Hmm. OK.

But it turns out that my worries are for naught, By the time the first band - Myra Melford's quartet - starts their set, the tent is packed with people and it's standing-room-only. Everyone arrived about the same time, as if disgorged from a giant bus. I guess we were a little early.

Myra Melford's group gets a great reception from the audience. I also enjoy the Polish jazz band, Robotobibok. They're a big band with a big sound and do some strange and interesting stuff with a synthesizer. But what I and, it seems, the Slovenes in the audience have come for is the Madleys, the band led by accordionist Bratko Bibič (also a member of Accordion Tribe, the group of international accordion all-stars).

They play an amazing set. Their music is beyond genre and almost impossible to describe - part jazz, part folk, part who-knows-what, and all Madleys. There's a new piece I haven't heard before that has a sweet melody, like a Scandinavian folk song, and winds up in a rowdy, bouncy beat like some undiscovered piece of '60s Britpop. The guys tear into the tunes with high energy and a lot of joy. Everything is clicking and they seem to be having as much fun as the audience. I'm glad we drove from Ljubljana for this. Actually, I'm glad I came 5,000 miles to Slovenia. This gig makes the whole long trip worth it.

Interviews with the Madleys:

>> Nino de Gleria (bass) and Aleš Rendla (drums)</font>

>> Bogo Pečnikar (clarinet and saxophone)

>> Matjaž Sekne (violin and piano)

My interview with Bratko Bibič , for RootsWorld, spring 2003

Bratko Bibič's official website: http://bratkobibic.fabrika13.net

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The Madleys on a tour of India, November 2003

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