A Wildfire of Sound Love - Post Kavc Festival Mind Wanderings

How many times? It must be getting serious!

Just how many times have I made my way to Slovenia in order to whole heartedly throw myself into a musical, humanistic action instigated by puppeteer and musician Matija Solce ?

How many times have I been drawn into life expanding experiences galavanting around with my fiddle on my back always ready to play, at gatherings such as Etno Histeria, Floating Castle Festival, Kavč Festival or even just during a wee trip down to meet friends?

I keep saying and writing this - and as I write this again, tears are coming to my eyes - I always approach these events with dangerously high expectations. I expect to be catapulted into feeling completely alive; infected by a wildfire of sound love, spontaneous and ever so meaningful artistic interventions; lifted up and carried by incredible musicianship; embraced and held by a circle of close friends; inspired and amazed by new meetings with like minded souls; laughing, crying, playing and singing with all of my heart and soul; dancing like there´s no tomorrow ....

Without a fail, these ambitious visions are always realised and indeed, often even surpassed. This years´ Kavč Festival proved to be no exception.

Photo c Toby Kuhn

It all started with a most heartwarming concert with the infamous trio "Los Hostes", aka myself, Aleš Zorec (drums) and the man himself, Matija Solce (accordion), at Club Daktari on the very first day of the festival. What can I say - the sequence was on, spirits caught fire, our love for music openly confessed to a most appreciative audience singing along to our songs, jumping around the place and rejoicing in the fact that we get to be alive!

Los Hostes at Club Daktari. Photos c Anca Stančič

On day two I got to play my solo set in a beautiful felt and wooden crafts shop in front of a lovely audience of next to all new faces! Thanks for taking a chance and calling in for some jodl loops :-)

Left to Right: Claudia Solo; Jam Session at Podhod; Indian Fusion Band Rasa Loka. Photos c Anca Stančič & Toby Kuhn

After another wee solo set, all sorts of jams and meeting of old and new friends at Hostel Celica and Podhod until the wee hours of the morning, I next got stuck into rehearsals with the Indian fusion band "Rasa Loka". Keeping us on the very tips of our toes (especially after yet another night of outrageous fun at Podhod with "YouWhoWho!" and some crazy jams until the even wee - er hours of the morning ...) it was such a pleasure to perform bansuri player Venkatesh Kadandales´ very cool compositions the following afternoon at the National Gallery, Ljubljana (what an amazing space too!). Onwards and upwards, let´s do this again !!

The dance continued at the Kavč Club night at Gala Hala with amazing bands such as Shakata (balkan - klezmer fusion) and Slav´Ka (balkan hip hop - go Svezdana Novakovič, LOVE this project !!!!). Slowly but surely we were steered in direction of the big "Float 2 Gaza" event on Saturday evening at Kino Šiška, the preparations of which took over the last couple of days of the festival. (How cute and moving to have a little Etno Orchestra reunion - despite utter exhaustion, I really loved these rehearsals :-))

Float 2 Gaza at Kino Šiška. Photo c Toby Kuhn

A shared performance with puppeteers, dancers, story tellers and musicians brought to us via a live stream from Gaza, connecting to our local Kavč Orchestra, pop up choir, an arial performer, break dancer and various other solo performers, the event provided a most emotional evidence and example of how all boundaries can be dissolved via music and art and that indeed the people DO have the power.

Float 2 Gaza at Kino Šiška

The moment the shadow of the arial performer entered the projected image of the musicians performing in Gaza. The breakdancer entering the stage with a backflip, moving with his equal on the other side of the screen. Joined improvisations, the story about an unexploded bomb in front of the narrators´ home. It all was just so epic and just about the most meaningful action one could take at this moment in time.

Float 2 Gaza at Kino Šiška. Photos c Toby Kuhn, Galeria piksi.work and official festival photographers

Of course, this wasn´t even all, not by a long shot - I caught many more amazing shows, such as Teatro Matita´s provocative new show "U! Bu?", or violinist/pianist/composer Gaja Suselj´s virtuosic escapades with various musicians, such as Aleš Zorec (drums) and Toby Kuhn (cello). I danced my soul out to our Czech friends´balkan party bands Tygroo and my favourite Mušnica, to french drummer/composer/singer/clarinetist Pierre Manegeard´s funky afro-beat solo show; jumped as high as I could and a bit above to Czech hip hoppers "Pašt". Not to forget a most emotional last couple of nights of jam sessions ... Epic moments like a duet of Serbian pianist Milos Kunc and clarinetist Matej Heinzl or singers Laura Krajnc and Klemen Kuhar that kept happening in different corners of the club all night long keep coming back to me in form of surreal flashbulb memories ...

Top Left to Bottom Right: Pašt; Tygroo; Jam; Klemen & Laura; Anca & Claudia; Girl Gang. Photos c Toby Kuhn.

I am still so tired, still without voice, still trying to get up to speed with the outside world. But I find myself levitating above the ground, dancing on with my soul, listening to the birds, burning to write new songs, convinced that I want to continue to devote my life to music, thriving on all the love my friends gave me. Thank you Matija and your tireless team of co-workers (Larisa Kazic, Tines Špik, Laura Kranjc, Sven Horvat, Nadia Hana etc. etc.) and volunteers ! Even just a couple of days of this kind of carry-on are worth being alive for!

Already looking forward to Etno Histeria - my expectations are high! :-)

Tired but happy - post kavč hangs. Photo c Larisa Kazic