Blog
One wonders whether Taucha is the source of a secret magnetism that attracts jaw harps. Since 2014 there has been a trophy in Taucha, which symbolically awards the town near Leipzig the title “World Centre of the Jaw Harp”. There are good reasons for that recognition, that we will be highlighted in this article: a mouth harp festival, the world market leader for jaw harps and various mouth harp masters – after almost 20 years the city of Taucha became an important interface for the world´s mouth harp community.
The Moseño flute is a very special, spherical instrument. Flute players appreciate the instrument for its warm, light sound that is able to spread genuine, meditative tranquility. The Moseño is easy to learn: with its six grip holes and an easy to use mouth piece it doesn’t require practising for years. DAN MOI talked to the Argentinean musician Pablo Salcedo from the group Markama about that beautiful flute with its smooth, humming tone.
They call their music Power Folk. And it’s true, the music of Zoord has an energetic rhythm and instantly gets into your feet. Brand-new melodies from the East of Europe, outright revealing a lust for life and joy of playing. The first CD of the unusual trio from Hungary around the energetic jaw harp specialist Áron Szilágyi was released in 2016.
In many countries around the world, International Children's Day is celebrated on 1 June. Then kindergartens and schools organize summer and children's parties with games, sweets, dancing and music for the youngest. And of course, there are often small surprises. Here is a sounding suggestion from DAN MOI for a chirping children's day.
In the province of Yakutia located in the far East of Russia the jaw harp is an instrument with national relevance. It is a symbol and an ambassador of that region. One of its refined artists goes by the name of Olena Podluzhnaya who uses the stage name UUTAi. DAN MOI met her in person and had a chat about the effects of jaw harp music to the human body.
Many jaw harp players – among them Anton Bruhin, but also Clemens Vogt and Sven “Roxy” Otto from DAN MOI – have taken the steep wooden stairs to the music and work room of Andreas Schlütter. Helen Hahmann met the instrument builder and musician in Zella-Mehlis on a winter afternoon. She visited his workshop and asked him about the traces of mouth harp playing in Thuringia.