Pankisi Ensemble - Live at Le Guess Who? 2023

Georgia's Pankisi Ensemble performed live at Le Guess Who? 2023 as part of the Hidden Musics program. Now, you can relive this touching performance with the full audio of the show, recorded at Utrecht's Jacobikerk during the festival.

About
The Pankisi Ensemble goes against the typical 'ethno-fusion' grain in two ways. First, by not restricting tradition to a putrid, embalmed state, but by allowing their experimentation to take them to new grounds; secondly, by not letting go of their integrity. The women’s ensemble was founded by musician and folk music researcher Bela Mutoshvili. The group let the world in on vocal and instrumental practices of Chechen music, seldom ever heard by outsiders. Additionally, they borrow from the sound of various Georgian territories, making them a moving mosaic of the Caucasus region’s varied culture.

Le Guess Who? Recordings
The publication of this recording is part of Le Guess Who?’s ongoing expansion of the festival’s recordings archive, with 100+ recordings from past editions now freely available online. It contains audio and/or video recordings of African Head Charge, clipping., Panda Bear & Sonic Boom, Marina Herlop, Arooj Aftab, OSEES, Deerhunter, Lightning Bolt, Suuns, Alabaster dePlume, Zwangere Guy, Duma, FLOHIO, The Microphones, Aldous Harding, Deerhunter, Gilla Band, Art Ensemble of Chicago, Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Neneh Cherry, Mount Eerie, Selda Bağcan and many more.

VPRO Vrije Geluiden recently also released a session with the ensemble, captured during Le Guess Who? 2023:

Recorded at Jacobikerk Utrecht on Friday, 10 November 2023.

Bela Mutoshvili - voice, accordion
Lana Gunashashvili - voice, pondar (Chechen lute)
Linda Gunashashvili - voice
Mariami Bagakashvili – voice

Audio recording by Vera Kraaijkamp
Mix by Marc Broer


Photography by Tim van Veen