It's not so far off to say that today's youth's rock n' roll is actually traditional folk music from varying countries.  Take for instance the six musicians that comprise the traditional Polish folk ensemble, Warsaw Village Band, barely out of their youth these musicians have resurrected a vocal style called "white voice" and traditional instruments such as the Polish fiddle and the Polish dulcimer.  Rock music lost its radical tag along time ago and during these topsy turvy times what could be more radical than preserving the traditions of our ancestors and blending historical ties with modern technology?  When it is done right and is a sincere effort, the result is bombastic music that defies the usual cynicism.  One listen to Warsaw Village Band's People's Spring pulls us away from the seen that-done that attitude.

The musicians in this group remind me of bohemian characters that appeared in Polish cinema master Andrzej Wajda films of the 1960's and 70's.  I am not sure why exactly I make this connection since some folks might tell me that I am comparing apples with oranges, yet, there is a young brash attitude of taking on the world, that appears in both Wajda's repertoire and on the songs that grace People's Spring.  The fresh-face musicians that came together in 1997 to form Warsaw Village Band were most likely not thinking on the lines of revolutionaries and in fact, when they created what they call, "hard core folk,"  their modest goal, was "having fun making music in a spontaneous way."  Fast forward seven years, and this Polish folk ensemble has turned the heads of the international music press as well as, garnering the admiration of BBC Radio 3's world music programmers.

So why are music journalists and others so excited about this group? While the musicians perform polkas and other traditional fare, they also bring up socio-political issues and a defiant attitude.  For instance, the song Cranes carries the message, "go back home children and be nobody's servants."  And the feminist Who is Getting Married portrays a young woman who refuses to get married and be dependent on a husband.  Plenty of passion and sexual themes also surface.  Maydow is described as a dark and psychedelic erotic folk song and speaks of a young man that wants to spend a passionate night with his fiancee, whereas, A Red Apple portrays a young woman wondering about her fiancee's honest intentions.

The musicians include, Katarzyna Szurman (old Polish fiddle, voice, jingles), Maja Mayall Kleszcz (bass, voice), Sylwia Mazura Swiatkowska (violin, trad fiddle, voice), Wojciech Szpak Mc Krazak (violin, jews harp, voice, krzaqattack), Piotre Glina Glinski (baraban drum) and Maciej Herszt Szajkowski (frame drum, dhol, voice).  A variety of guests musicians and two deejays (on the two re-mixes, Matecka, Joint Venture in the Village), also contribute to this wonderful cacophony of drums and strings.  To You Kasiunia features gorgeous vocal harmonies, a dulcimer, a long with horn fanfare and the tribal drums found throughout the recording.  A variety of laments, polkas and the Jewish-Polish fusion, Chassidic Dance appear on this CD.  The music often resembles Baltic and Scandinavian fare, with such groups as Hedningarna and Gjallarhorn coming to mind.  This jagged edge songs switches from up tempo frenzied fiddles and drums to haunting ballads bordering on gothic music.

Despite their youth, Warsaw Village Band exudes musical maturity.  Not only are they performing music of their grand or great grand parents, but they are bringing this music to young and older audiences alike.  The music is dissonant, often in a minor key and sporting progressive statements.  It combines wide-eyed innocence with the wisdom of elders.  If the drums, fiddles and horns do not capture your attention, nothing will.  www.worldvillagemusic.com